GASTON COUNTY, N.C. (WJZY) – NASCAR star Denny Hamlin made his first public remarks after suffering a heartbreaking death in his family.
Hamlin’s parents, Dennis Hamlin, 75, and Mary Lou Hamlin, 69, were inside their North Carolina home when a blaze broke out on Sunday morning. They suffered “catastrophic injuries while escaping the flames,” officials said, and both were hospitalized. Dennis Hamlin later died at the hospital, and Mary Lou Hamlin was transferred to a burn center for treatment.
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In a message shared on social media, Hamlin thanked fans and supporters, and shared a hopeful update about his mother.
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out with condolences on my father’s passing,” Hamlin wrote. “My mother continues to improve, and our family truly appreciates the outpouring of support and the respect for our privacy during this time.”
The loss follows an emotional year for Denny Hamlin. Just two months earlier, he celebrated his 60th NASCAR Cup Series win and dedicated that victory to his father, who had been reportedly facing health challenges…