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Untold Max Verstappen Story of How the Dutchman Unknowingly Saved a Fan’s Life

Published 04/23/2024, 4:00 PM EDT

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via Reuters

Max Verstappen, the current world champion,  is huge on sim racing, and when he is not busy dominating the grid in Formula 1, he kicks back and gets into gaming. When it’s not Red Bull he is driving for, he gets races for Team RedLine, the Sim racing team. The 3-time world champion has more connections with the team as they are powered by Verstappen.com too, and the Dutchman also streams for the team.

While streaming, Max Verstappen gets a chance to connect with his fans online through chat and interact with them while he enjoys some sim racing. During a streaming session for Team RedLine, Verstappen interacted with a fan, which ended up saving her life.

Max Verstappen: The Simulating Savior

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Nina, a super fan of Max Verstappen, shared her story of how the Red Bull champion saved her life on Instagram. Once while streaming, Max Verstappen got a message from Nina saying hi, and she shared that she was having a tough day. Listening to that, Verstappen responded, “Hi Nina, I hope everything is well.” The reply from Verstappen made the fan’s day and made her happy to know that he acknowledged her message and wished her well.

Later on, she revealed that she was extremely depressed and was on the verge of “unaliving” herself, but after her idol, Max Verstappen greeted her and hoped everything was well for her, he gave her enough courage to make it through her bad phase. She uploaded this story to social media, where it went viral. Nina shared that she was shocked that Verstappen hoped everything was fine with her when nothing was, and that “tiny little gesture” from the current world champion made her say, “Max, someone I admire and look up to, wishes me well, and so I have to be.” 

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She also spoke about the possibility of comments calling her out for being shallow and addressed it, saying, “It might be shallow or stupid, but I’m sure people who’ve also struggled with chronic depression and suicidal ideation can relate.” Although Nina does not know Verstappen personally, his words make such a big difference. But why was that? Why did the words from a celebrity who is ultimately a stranger help her get over her tough phase?

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Why did Max Verstappen’s words matter so much?

Max Verstappen is a huge public figure, with millions of followers of his every move. He is highly respected in the sports community, and despite being disliked for leaving no room for the rest of the grid to win, he is appreciated by everyone at the paddocks. The fact that he has achieved so much at such a young age is a highly inspiring story, and that makes many people want to be like him. Having him set as a bar to measure might be harsh, but having such goals is what pushes people to excel.

via Reuters

Now that Max Verstappen has such a strong influence on people, the fact that Nina saw that the world champion has achieved so much despite his struggles inspired her to fight harder and get better in life. She mentioned in her post, “Max Verstappen is my little ray of hope and light. Thank you, Max. I’m so thankful that you took notice of my comment that night and that you took the time to say such sweet, kind words to me.”

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With this, we can see how exactly the overachieving driver has touched lives beyond the circuit. He is an exceptional driver, and his millions of fans think so too. She ended the message by congratulating the driver on his victory at the Chinese Grand Prix. That being said, what do you think of this story of Max Verstappen and Nina? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Written by:

Viren Mirpuri

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Viren Mirpuri is an F1 Writer at EssentiallySports. With a Degree in Mass Media and a Specialization in Journalism, Viren is known for his speedy race day coverage outside of discussing the engine technicalities. Whether he's dissecting the latest technical innovations or unraveling the drama on and off the track, he ensures that his readers stay engaged and informed.
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Edited by:

Riya Singhal