Kurt Busch Breaks Down While Sharing One Of The Last Things He Told Brother Kyle Before He Died
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NASCAR Hall of Famer Kurt Busch recently sat down with TODAY‘s Craig Melvin for his first network TV interview following the death of his brother, fellow NASCAR driver Kyle Busch.
41-year-old Kyle passed away on May 21 after a severe case of pneumonia progressed into sepsis. Kurt described how sudden his passing was, telling Craig Melvin:
“It’s just everything had plateaued so fast. It just escalated so fast. And so I don’t explain it to people, I don’t. What I saw, what I went through, nobody needs to go through that.”
Kurt said that he, his parents, and Kyle’s wife, Samantha, were at the hospital hoping and praying that Kyle would make a full recovery. However, Kurt and Kyle’s father, Tom Busch, chose not to go into Kyle’s room, and Kurt explained why:
“My dad wanted to remember him in the way he wanted to remember him,” he said.
When Craig responded, “He didn’t want to see his son like that,” Kurt answered, “No.”
But Kurt did go into Kyle’s hospital room. Tears formed in his eyes, and he broke down as he shared one of the last things he ever told his younger brother before he died.
“I said, ‘I got you man. Come on. I got you. I got you, come on. Be strong’.”
After pausing for a moment to wipe his eyes, Kurt said, “It just wasn’t fair.”
Watch the emotional clip below to hear Kurt Busch recall some of his final words to Kyle.
Kurt Busch Reflects On His Brother Kyle’s Legacy, And The Memories They Made Racing Together
Kurt Busch knows that Kyle’s legacy was already well-established before his death. Beyond his history-making wins and accomplishments, Kurt says his brother will be remembered for his tenacious spirit, his passion for helping others, and his love for his children, Brexton and Lennix.
As a NASCAR driver himself, Kurt often competed against his brother on the racetrack. He recalled some of his fondest memories from the time they spent racing alongside each other, saying:
“He and I were carbon copies of each other. I just miss the on-track camaraderie. We could speak on track without saying a word. Like, ‘You pass me here,’ ‘I’ll draft with you here,’ you know, short track. ‘Hey man, did you change that shock?’ I miss the words that we never spoke to each other, and the vibe that we had on track.”
Kyle’s son, Brexton, is following in his dad and uncle’s footsteps. At age 11, Brexton is already an experienced racer, and Kurt wants to support him as his career progresses.
“He can be a big star in the world of motor sports. He’s 11, but he’s already racing like an 18-year-old. So it’s time to be around a bit more,” Kurt said.
Watch another clip from Kurt Busch’s TODAY interview below. Our continued prayers go out to him and all who knew and loved Kyle…
