Samantha Busch Opens Up About “Unbearable” Loneliness Following Kyle’s Death
on Jul 28, 2026
NASCAR Legend Kyle Busch Dies At 41
On May 21, NASCAR fans were left mourning when two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch died at the age of 41. NASCAR confirmed the news in a statement, while the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing, and NASCAR also released a joint statement honoring the longtime driver.
The statement did not provide any additional details about Kyle Busch’s illness. However, his family released a statement on Saturday (May 23), revealing that he died due to complications related to “severe pneumonia [that] progressed into sepsis.”
Kyle had been set to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24. But hours before the race, his family announced that the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion had been hospitalized with a severe illness and would be stepping away from all racing activities.
We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sport's greatest and fiercest drivers. He was 41 years old.
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 21, 2026
We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire… pic.twitter.com/FARIF6OKrw
Kyle is survived by his wife, Samantha, and their two children Brexton (11) and Lennix (4). He was one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history. Nicknamed “Rowdy,” Kyle won two NASCAR Cup Series championships (in 2015 and 2019) and became known for his aggressive driving style and record-setting success across NASCAR’s top divisions. In 2023, he joined Richard Childress Racing.
Kyle first met Samantha in 2007 when she was working as a promo model. She detailed the story of how they first met in an August 2023 post.
RELATED: Samantha Busch Shares Beautiful “Signs” She Received From Kyle After His Death
Samantha Busch Opens Up About Her Grief Since Kyle Has Been Gone
More than two months after Kyle’s death, Samantha opened up about the emotional challenges she still faces each night she goes to bed.
The first Instagram Story offered a glimpse inside Samantha’s bedroom, where three framed photos from a past photoshoot with Kyle sat side by side on a black dresser.
“You’re still the last thing I see when I close my eyes and the first thing when I wake up,” Samantha wrote on her Instagram Story Sunday (July 26).
Another post shared a personal glimpse into Samantha’s grief, as she explained that she has been sleeping with one of the late NASCAR star’s shirts since his passing. She described nights without him as “unbearable.”
“In the evenings when the kids go to bed the silence and loneliness is almost unbearable. I pace the house thinking of all our memories,” Samantha said. “I sleep tucked on my side of the bed with a body pillow and his shirt pretending he’s still next to me. I hate it so much that his shirt doesn’t smell like him anymore.”
Since Kyle’s tragic death, Samantha has continued to offer fans a window into her family’s journey, saying she hopes to share her experiences in hopes that it may help others going through something similar.
The entire Busch family remains in our thoughts and prayers.
