Kyle Busch's widow, Samantha Busch, has spoken publicly for the first time since her NASCAR star husband passed away on May 21 from sepsis, caused by a battle with pneumonia.
The mother of two received the Seeds of Hope Award at the Carlos Ródon Foundation's Third Annual Willow Gala on Monday, in recognition of her and Kyle's Bundle of Joy Fund, which provides monetary grants for couples struggling with infertility.
Samantha's heartbreaking admission
© Getty Images for the Carlos RodóSamantha took to the stage to accept the award, and shared in her speech that she "never imagined I would be standing here accepting this award without Kyle," before adding that "losing him has been the greatest heartbreak of my life".
"And if I'm being truthful, there are still so many things I don't understand, and so many times I wish God's plan looked different than it does," she continued. The pair were married for 15 years and welcomed kids Brexton, 11, and Lennix, four, together.
© Getty Images for the Carlos Rodó"Caring for the things that Kyle and I built together can feel incredibly heavy because he should still be here doing it beside me. But I also know that the same God who carried us through infertility is still carrying me now," Samantha shared.
"Every grant we give, every positive pregnancy test, every heartbeat, every baby placed into the arms of parents who wondered if that moment would ever come, Kyle is still a part of that," she said, adding that the foundation "gives me a piece of Kyle to hold onto as I keep moving forward".
Samantha concluded by stating that Kyle's legacy lived on in his kids, his racing career, and his charity work with the foundation.
"I hope this is part of how people remember him, too: Not just for the champion he was, but for his heart, his generosity, and for the more than 113 babies born because of this mission he cared so deeply about."
A life cut short
© Getty ImagesKyle was one of NASCAR's most prolific and celebrated racers, having won the Cup Series twice. The father of two was just 41 when he passed away, and had been suffering from bacterial pneumonia before his death.
He was rushed to hospital in North Carolina after paramedics found him lying on the bathroom floor, coughing up blood. He died 24 hours later. Samantha broke her silence three weeks later, sharing on Instagram that her family was in "so much pain" as they grappled with the loss.
© Getty Images"There are moments when the weight of this loss feels impossible to carry, yet time and time again God, through you all, has shown us we are not alone. From family and friends to fans and complete strangers, thank you for showing up for us. Thank you for loving our family so well," she wrote.
"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 concluded. "Thank you for loving Kyle. Thank you for honoring him."
