Before his passing, Samantha Busch made a heartfelt promise to her husband, Kyle Busch — and she is determined to honor it.
NASCAR champion Kyle Busch passed away on May 21 at the age of 41. According to his family and information listed on his death certificate, he died after a battle with pneumonia that later developed into sepsis.
Kyle is survived by his wife of 15 years, Samantha, and their two children, Brexton, 11, and Lennix, 4. Following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather, and uncle, Brexton has developed a deep love for racing and has been competing since he was just 5 years old.
Brexton returned to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday (May 8) for his first races since Kyle’s death. He drove his bright green #18 Legends car in the races, placing 6th and 2nd.
“Felt really good to get racing again,” Brexton said on social media alongside some photos from race day.
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Samantha Busch also posted a series of photos from Brexton’s return to the racetrack. The first picture shows her, Brexton, and Lennix standing in front of the large #8 painted on the grass to honor Kyle at the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24.
Subsequent pictures in Samantha’s slideshow captured some sweet moments between her and her children at Brexton’s race. The last photo offered a zoomed-in look at the “Rowdy 51” tribute sticker for Kyle on Brexton’s car.
Writing about Brexton’s return to racing, Samantha said:
“Watching Brexton back at the track is both heartbreaking and beautiful all at once because there are moments when I catch a glimpse of Kyle in him, the same determination, the same passion, the same spark, and for a second it feels like a piece of him is still right here with us.”
Then Samantha revealed that she had made a promise to Kyle before he died. She said:
“In the hospital, I made Kyle a promise. I promised him that I would do everything I could to help our children pursue their dreams no matter what.”
She said, for now, for Brexton, racing is that dream. But whatever he and Lennix want to pursue in life, Samantha vowed to help them chase those passions.
She ended her post by saying, “So, we race on.”
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Samantha Busch Previously Thanked NASCAR Fans For Their Support After Kyle’s Death
This wasn’t Samantha’s first post since Kyle’s passing. On June 5, she broke her silence to share a message of gratitude for those who’ve supported her and her family during this difficult time.
“The prayers, messages, flowers, meals, hugs, and countless acts of kindness have carried us through the most heartbreaking days of our lives,” she wrote. “While our hearts are absolutely shattered, we have felt God’s presence and arms wrapped tightly around us through each and every one of you.”
Samantha also shared how touched she’s been by all the tributes and acts of kindness done in Kyle’s honor. She said seeing the impact he had on so many people serves as “a true testament” of how special he was.
She closed her post by thanking everyone for “loving Kyle” and their family. “We may never find the words to fully express what your support has meant to us, but please know that we are deeply grateful,” she said.
Samantha, Brexton, Lennix, and all of Kyle’s loved ones remain in our prayers…
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