Kurt Busch recounted the tragic events that led up to the passing of his younger brother, Kyle Busch, on May 21. The NASCAR community continues to reel from the sudden death of the two-time Cup Series champion, who was 41 years old.
It came as a shock to the sports world not just because of Kyle Busch’s stardom, but just how quickly the 63-time Cup Series winner succumbed to a severe battle of pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.
In the wake of Kyle Busch’s passing, NASCAR has done weekly tributes at every racetrack in his honor.
Kurt Busch did not know brother Kyle was sick
In a sit-down interview with CNN reporter Anderson Cooper, Kurt Busch said he was unaware his younger brother was sick.
It was well-documented that Kyle Busch requested medical attention following the Cup Series race at Watkins Glen on May 10, 11 days prior to his death. During the race, Kyle requested a doctor meet him after the race for a shot.
“I didn’t know that Kyle was sick. I know he had asked for a shot at the Watkins Glen race two weeks before. I know through my physicals and his physicals in NASCAR, we both have arthritis and gout and struggle with sinus issues,” Kurt Busch said.
Kurt believes it was a “sinus shot” but did not believe it to be anything significant. Six days before his death, Kyle Busch won the Craftsman Truck Series Ecosave 200 at Dover, his final NASCAR win.
Two days prior to his death, Kurt said his brother was opening up a North Carolina go-kart track with his 11-year-old son, Brexton. There was no indication that Kyle Busch was in any type of medical trouble.
“It was most likely a sinus shot of some sort but I didn’t know he was sick. People around him said he had a little cough here and there. He won a race the Friday before. He was opening a go-kart track somewhere in North Carolina with his son, Brexton, on Tuesday — the day before. There was no signs of what this led to,” Kurt Busch said.
Kurt Busch said Kyle requested an ambulance the day prior to death
On Wednesday, May 20, one day prior to his sudden passing, Kyle Busch fell unresponsive while testing in a Chevrolet simulator.
Kurt was told that his brother was doing a normal simulator session, which ended around 5 p.m.
Then, Kyle went to the bathroom and began coughing, which alarmed the crew chief he was with. During the exchange, Kurt said his brother requested an ambulance.
“The crew chief is kind of like your wife at the track. Your best friend, you take care of each other and you share a lot of secrets with your crew chief. Crew chief is like, ‘You all right?’ When he went into the bathroom, Kyle was sitting on the floor with his back up against the wall. [Crew chief] is like, ‘You don’t look so good.’ Kyle’s like, ‘No. I need to call an ambulance,’” Kurt said.
For someone like Kyle Busch, a fierce competitor and a high-level athlete, to request an ambulance, his older brother knew something was not right.
“Nobody shows weakness. … For him to say that, something was wrong,” Kurt said.
Initially, things seemed to be stable, but when Kurt received a phone call from his father, Tom, at 4 a.m., he knew things had taken a turn for the worse.
“An ambulance gets him, gets him to the hospital, things are stabilized — meanwhile, I turned my phone off that evening and I didn’t hear about anything until my dad is calling my girlfriend’s phone at 4 a.m. and that’s when I learned. I rushed straight to the hospital,” Kurt said.
Kurt Busch on brother Kyle’s final hours: ‘Horror movie’
Kyle Busch’s death was not due to lack of care or lost time, Kurt said. Tragically, it was a “one in a million” occurrence that took the life of his younger brother and one of NASCAR’s greatest talents.
“How fast things change, man. It’s not fair. What I saw happen in a 12-hour period is unfathomable. Inside of a horror movie. It wasn’t like we lost time, it wasn’t like we didn’t have good care. It’s just one in a million. It’s like, ‘No, no,’” Kurt said.
Kurt said he was there for Kyle in the end, along with their mom and Kyle’s wife, Samantha. The reality of the devastating loss began to sink in the more people began coming to the hospital.
“Samantha, my mom — my dad didn’t want to go in. My dad wanted to remember him, in his eyes, the way he wanted to see him. I respected that. When other team owners started to come to the hospital and NASCAR executives came and then a couple of his best friends came. That’s when it starts getting real. It was tough,” Kurt said.
It was difficult for Kurt to fight back tears as he recounted the horrifying turn of events that led to his brother’s death. The 48-year-old hopes to be there for Kyle’s wife and kids in any way he can.
“The sequence of events was horrific. He didn’t deserve this. I’m here to help where I can. Samantha has the toughest job right now,” Kurt said.
Kurt said he was not able to communicate with Kyle in his final moments, but knew his presence was still there.
“I know he could hear me,” he said.
Kurt Busch Reveals Chain of Events Leading to Brother Kyle’s Death