Truly awful news this afternoon out of the professional sports world:
Greg Biffle, a retired NASCAR driver and legend, was among six people killed in a plane crash in North Carolina on Thursday.
Three of the other victims were Biffle’s wife, Cristina, and his two children, a five-year old boy named Ryder and a 14-year old girl named Emma.
Biffle was 55 years old.
“I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them,” family friend Richard Hudson wrote on X on December 18.
“They were friends who lived their lives focused on helping others. Greg was a great NASCAR champion who thrilled millions of fans. But he was an extraordinary person as well, and will be remembered for his service to others as much as for his fearlessness on the track.”
Congressman Hudson added in his message, referring to the Biffles’ humanitarian contributions:
“The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were.”
The Federal Aviation Administration also confirmed the crash to local NBC outlet WCNC Charlotte, with the outlet reporting that the aircraft in question — a Cessno C550 — was owned by local company GB Aviation Leasing LLC and that the plane was under contract with Biffle.
The accident took place just 26 minutes after the plane took off this morning.
The plane was scheduled to travel to Florida, with YouTube personality Garrett Mitchell writing on social media that the Biffle family were meant to spend the day with him down there.
“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane… because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this,” Mitchell wrote a few hours ago.
Biffle started his NASCAR career in 1995. In 1998, the athlete won the Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the Year award, as well as a Series championship in 2000.
The Vancouver, Washington native was also named as one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.
Last year, he received the 2024 NMPA Myers Brothers Award for humanitarian aid.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s path of destruction across the southeastern United States in September 2024, Biffle became one of many helicopter pilots who began transporting both supplies and stranded individuals in and out of the disaster areas.
May he and his loved ones rest in peace.