Days before Christmas, a plane tragedy claimed the lives of former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina Grossu Biffle, and their two children.
Now, tragic new information is coming to light from one of the children’s funerals.
When tragedy struck, the Biffle family was on their way to celebrate the holidays with well-known YouTuber Cleetus McFarland. A small aircraft crashed on December 18, 2025, just after taking off from Statesville, North Carolina.
Greg, Cristina, their children Ryder and Emma (14), Craig Wadsworth, Dennis, and Jack Dutton were all killed in the collision.
The devastating letter from the ex-wife
Nicole, Greg’s ex-wife, gave a heartfelt message at their daughter Emma’s burial that brought the audience to tears. Nicole acknowledged the remorse she feels for allowing Emma to go that day even though she wasn’t feeling well.
“Even though Emma wasn’t feeling well, I will always be sorry for letting her fly that day,” she wrote.
Nicole also revealed that, in preparation for Emma’s Christmas present, she had bought tickets to Italy the night before the tragedy.
Both the NASCAR community and Emma’s school, Davidson Day School, supported the service, which was held at a nearby performing arts center.
According to her obituary, she was a “bright light” with a contagious grin and a strong affection for animals.
According to her obituary, “She will be greatly missed by the many people who loved her but above all by her mom, who shared a profoundly intense bond with her.”
In remembrance of her, friends and admirers were urged to donate to animal shelters or rescue groups, which are causes dear to the family.
Nicole and Greg Biffle split up about ten years ago.The specifics of their connection during Biffle’s last days are unknown, but following a contentious court battle, the marriage terminated in 2016 with bitterness. The pair was married in October 2007, split up in March 2015, and got divorced a year later.
Last text message
Greg’s wife, Cristina Biffle, whom he married in 2023, posted a contemplative Instagram post only minutes before the disaster, which would sadly prove to be her last words. The article, which highlighted Martha Stewart’s ascent to fame, said:
Martha Stewart had not launched a business by the time she was thirty. She started her catering business at the age of 35. She became a billionaire at the age of 58.
“These stories are your reminder that you’re not behind… you’re right on time,” she wrote in her caption.
Cristina Grossu Biffle, 35, texted her mother, Cathy Grossu, just before the collision, stating, “We’re in trouble,” Cathy told People.
“We’re in trouble,” Cathy remarked sobbingly, “and that was all—she messaged me from the plane.” “We’re broken. utterly devastated.
Greg, her step-granddaughter Emma, and her grandson Ryder, according to Cathy, “had so much life” and were “doing so many good things” before to the catastrophe.
The black boxes on the jet
Around 10:00 AM, a Cessna C550 aircraft carrying the Biffle family took off from Statesville Regional Airport. According to flight data, the aircraft flew erratically in a figure-eight pattern after only a few minutes in the air.
Around 10:15 AM, the aircraft attempted to return to the airport but crashed during landing and caught fire on the tarmac. The NASCAR great himself flew the aircraft, which was owned by Greg Biffle and registered to GB Aviation Leasing.
The reason of the crash is being investigated by the FAA and the NTSB. One of the jet’s black boxes has also been transferred to Washington, D.C., for examination by authorities.
