The racing world is grieving the tragic death of Greg Biffle, the NASCAR legend who died earlier this week in a tragic plane crash alongside his family. New details have emerged, revealing that Biffle's wife, Cristina, reached out to her mom minutes before her death.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Cristina's mother, Cathy, spoke about the tragedy. "She texted me from the plane, and she said, 'We're in trouble.' And that was it," she said. "So we're devastated. We're brokenhearted."
The family was traveling to Florida for a vacation. "To think that they would be killed on a birthday trip, that was just such a fun time for the family," she said. "And to see the horrific way that it ended, it's just, it is so hard to bear. I cannot believe they're gone."
Greg, 55, and Cristina, 35, died in the crash alongside their children, Emma and Ryder, and three other people who were on the plane, named Dennis Dutton and his son, Jack, and Craig Wadsworth. Greg had Emma from a previous relationship. "I don't remember what the last words that I said to my daughter or to Greg or to my precious Ryder," said Cathy.
"I don't remember. I know we hugged, but I don't remember those last words, and that's going to haunt me. But they were happy."
More details about the Biffle family
In her interview, Cathy shared details about the Biffle family and her daughter. "They embraced every aspect of their life and every moment," she said. "And it's such a loss. They touched so many people's lives. It is so hard to bear. I cannot believe they're gone."
When discussing her daughter, Cathy shared how giving she was and her plans for the holidays to support families in need with a sweet gesture. "She said, 'Mom, can you go pick up the last 17 letters that are at Staples? I want to get them in the mail before I get on the plane tomorrow,'" said Cathy.
"So I ran over and got 'em and took them to their house, and when they got home last night, she put them in envelopes and finished them all up to get them off to those last 17 families to bring joy to them, and that would be the last thing that she would've done."
Following the family's death, many have shared their condolences, including NASCAR. "Beyond his racing career, he gave of himself for the betterment of our community. Most notably, Greg spent countless hours of his time helping the citizens of North Carolina during the disasters that followed Hurricane Helene. His tireless work saved lives," reads the organization's statement.