The Heartbreaking Truths Behind Danica Patrick’s Journey

Danica Patrick stands out in the racing world, being the first woman to win an IndyCar race, a remarkable feat achieved in 2008. Despite her success, many aspects of her life and career remain less known.

While she enjoyed considerable recognition during her driving career from 2005 through 2018, Patrick often faced significant criticism. Some fans expressed disdain, especially after her controversial comments, including an assertion that women might hesitate to enter the racing field, as it is seen as male-dominated. Additionally, her peculiar remarks about lizard people raised concerns about her views.

Patrick’s polarizing presence in motorsports cannot be ignored. Though some remarks made her hard to support, her personal struggles should not be overlooked. Despite her image as a fierce athlete, she battled mental health issues and faced numerous challenges throughout her life and career.

Danica’s passion for racing ignited when her parents gifted her a go-kart at the age of ten. This fuelled a career that saw her reach significant milestones, notably her historic win at the Indy Japan 300 in 2008, where she became the first woman ever to clinch victory in an IndyCar event.

However, her journey was fraught with peril, starting at her debut race in 2005 at Homestead, Florida. During an interview on “The Adversity Advantage Podcast”, Patrick recounted how her first race was marred by fear when another car collided with her. This resulted in her car smashing into the wall and ultimately catching fire.

She recalls waking up in the medical center on-site, greeted by a bright light and a priest by her side. Despite her mother attempting to ease her concerns, Patrick had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.

In October 2011, Danica Patrick took to the track for her last full-time IndyCar race at the Las Vegas Indy 300, hoping to finish on a high note. Fast and promising in practice, the race turned disastrous when a horrific 15-car crash led to the death of fellow driver Dan Wheldon.

During the 11th lap, chaos erupted as cars crashed into one another, some flipping or catching fire, littering the track with debris. Patrick described the incident as resembling a frightening movie scene. Despite the inherent dangers of the sport, the devastation left the drivers and spectators in shock. In a now-deleted tweet, Patrick expressed her heartbreak for the Wheldon family.

Even after years, the memories of that tragic event linger for her. In a conversation on the “Jocko Podcast” in 2023, she reflected on how fortunate she was to escape what could have easily been a fatal crash, noting how close she was to being part of the catastrophe.

After wrapping up the 2011 IndyCar season, Danica Patrick made a transition to NASCAR, venturing into stock car racing. She broke new records, but in 2016, she experienced a harrowing incident at Talladega Superspeedway that left her shaken both physically and mentally.

Close to the end of the race, Patrick was hit from behind, resulting in a loss of control that caused her to collide with another vehicle and ultimately crash into the wall. Fans witnessed her car ignite in flames, but she managed to escape and reach medical assistance. Reflecting on the harrowing moment, Patrick compared the impact to hitting a wall at high speed, saying, “My head feels like I hit a wall at 200,” according to The New York Times.

The flames within the vehicle were particularly distressing for Patrick. “There was fire inside the car—it knocked the breath out of me,” she revealed to USA Today. This was her first experience of a fire during a race, and she quickly worried about the potential consequences for her long hair. Fortunately, subsequent x-rays confirmed she had no serious injuries, though she did suffer from chest pain while breathing, alongside bruising on her arm and foot.

In 2018, Danica Patrick made a surprising admission during an appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience”, revealing that she didn’t harbor a deep love for racing as many presumed. Sharing her decision to retire, she indicated that the sport was affecting her mental health and personal happiness.

Patrick disclosed, “I like racing, but there’s a lot of things I don’t really like about it, too.” She explained that racing wasn’t her only pastime outside of the track; she rarely attended events or watched races in her free time.

The former driver elaborated that, although racing impacted her physical health, that wasn’t the sole reason for her retirement. The negativity around the sport, compounded by the lack of joy it brought her, ultimately influenced her decision. She noted, “Racing, in general, most of the time, it’s miserable… it just kind of feels like a grind a little bit.”

In late 2017, Danica Patrick announced her retirement plans, declaring her intention to go out with a bang. She was set to participate in two major races in 2018, intending to celebrate her career with the “Danica Double,” racing in both the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500.

Sadly, her dreams did not materialize as she hoped. The Daytona 500 saw her crash, leaving her with a disappointing 35th place finish. The Indianapolis 500, which was to be her final race, ended similarly, as she crashed again and placed 30th.

After the Indy 500, Patrick expressed gratitude for the chance to compete but lamented the unfortunate conclusion to her racing career. “It was definitely not a great ending,” she said, noting that wrapping up her career in such a manner felt disheartening. “I wouldn’t want it to end any year like that, but of course it being the last one, it makes it a lot worse.”

In 2014, Danica Patrick sought to enhance her confidence by getting breast implants. While the initial procedure went well, she soon started encountering various complications. A year later, her implants became rigid, making her self-conscious to the extent that she avoided close physical contact, fearing others would notice them.

Things took a turn for the worse in early 2018 when Patrick began experiencing unexplained health issues. “My hair wasn’t quite as healthy,” she shared with Fox News. “I had gained a few pounds and I didn’t know why.” Her list of symptoms expanded to include fatigue and potential heavy metal toxicity, but it wasn’t until 2021 that she consulted a doctor after her menstrual cycle stopped for a couple of months. This prompted hormone tests.

Doctors found her thyroid hormone levels were low but couldn’t pinpoint the cause until 2022, when Patrick discovered the concept of breast implant illness. The revelation clarified her symptoms, leading to the removal of her implants later that year. Nonetheless, her journey to recovery was just beginning. As she explained to People, she planned to take one to two years to heal fully, allowing her body and mind to find balance after enduring so much distress.

Danica Patrick has been adept at keeping her personal life private, but in November 2012, she announced her separation from Paul Hospenthal on Facebook, stating, “This isn’t easy for either of us, but mutually it has come to this” (the post has since been removed, as reported by SI).

Patrick originally met Hospenthal in 2002, when he was designated as her physical therapist after a hip injury. They married in 2005; however, by January 2013, Patrick filed for divorce, citing a marriage that was “irretrievably broken” and with no hope for reconciliation, according to court documents (via ESPN). After making her announcement, she was often questioned about the divorce by the media, but she opted not to provide specifics, merely commenting to SB Nation, “It’s tough.”

Since then, she’s moved on to date various people, including NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but as she confided to Fox News in 2022, her romantic life hasn’t been ideal. Turning 40 was particularly difficult for her, as she felt the sting of entering the next decade alone. “To sort of step into my next decade alone was like, wow, okay, that kid ship might be sailing,” she shared, reflecting on feelings of sadness during that transition.