In some terribly sad news out of NASCAR, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch unexpectedly and tragically died on Thursday, May 21. It was initially unclear from what he passed away, but his family soon issued a statement in which it revealed what had happened and why the star racer passed away.
According to that statement issued by the family of the star racer, who was just 41 years old at the time of his passing and leaves behind a wife named Samantha, a young son named Braxton, who is talented at racing despite being just 11, and a younger child named Lennix Key, who is just 4 years old. Brexton is a third-generation racer, given the successful careers of his father and grandfather.
In any case, Vice President of Kyle Busch Companies, Dakota Hunter, shared a statement on what happened that was released by the family a few days after the racer’s tragic, unexpected, and young death. According to the family, the racer passed away from pneumonia that turned into sepsis.
That statement that Mr. Hunter issued said, “The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications.” Continuing, the family statement issued by Hunter said, “The Family asks for continued understanding and privacy during this difficult time.”
That statement came after another series of statements that had been issued on Thursday in which the company and family revealed first that Mr. Busch had been hospitalized, and then later that he had unexpectedly passed away from then-unknown causes.
According to media reports regarding the racer’s tragic passing, Mr. Busch suddenly became unresponsive when he was working in his racing simulator in Concord, North Carolina, just the day before, on Wednesday, May 20.
When awake and responsive, he apparently started coughing up blood felt like he was overheating and short of breath. Such was revealed by audio records that were released by the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office in which an unidentified caller said, “I’ve got an individual that’s [got] shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he’s going to pass out and is producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood.”
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At the point the caller revealed that the racer was awake, indicating he woke back up after becoming unresponsive in the racing simulator. Shortly before that incident, Busch had indicated he was feeling unwell, saying, “Can somebody try to find Bill Heisel? He’s the kindred doctor guy. Tell him I need him after the race, please.”
Issuing a statement on the matter, the cousin of Kyle’s widow, Samantha Busch, Alexander Dmitar Momcilovic, said, “Unexpectedly my cousin, Samantha’s husband, Kyle Busch, one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time, who was known around the world and touched so many, has passed away today at 41 years old.”
Momcilovic further added, “He was a beautiful man, driver, father, husband and soul. We hold in our prayers, their entire family, including Samantha, my uncle Steve and Aunt Donney, Kyle’s brother, his father and his mother.” He added, “I know they are feeling so much pain and unexpected shock at this time. We also hold in the most love Kyle and Samantha’s two young children Brexton and Lennix.”
Watch NASCAR do a moment of silence for Kyle Busch before the start of the Coca-Cola 600:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video