Samantha Busch is finding purpose in life without her late husband, NASCAR driver Kyle Busch.
“Losing him has been the greatest heartbreak of my life,” Samantha, 40, told the crowd at the Carlos and Ashley Rodón Foundation’s Willow Gala on Monday, August 24, according to People. “And if I’m being truthful, there are still so many things I don’t understand and so many times I wish God’s plan looked different than it does.”
The foundation works to make fertility treatment more affordable for families. Samantha, who along with Kyle started their Bundle of Joy Fund to help others access IVF care, was honored at the gala with the Seeds of Hope Award.
Kyle died in May at age 41 after a battle with pneumonia progressed to sepsis and other complications. Samantha told the crowd she “never imagined” she would have to accept the award without Kyle by her side.
“Caring for the things that Kyle and I built together can feel incredibly heavy because he should still be here doing it beside me,” she told the crowd, which consisted of many of Carlos’ teammates on the New York Yankees. “But I also know that the same God who carried us through infertility is still carrying me now.”
She continued, “Every grant we give, every positive pregnancy test, every heartbeat, every baby placed into the arms of parents who wondered if that moment would ever come, Kyle is still a part of that.”
“Thank you so much for honoring Kyle tonight,” she concluded. “I pray that in his honor we can give more couples a chance to experience the greatest gift Kyle and I were ever given: the chance to become mom and dad.”
Samantha also revealed that 113 babies have been born as a result of her foundation. On a similar note, the evening took on additional meaning for the Rodón family, as the first baby born as a result of their foundation’s Willow Grant, named for their daughter, was in attendance.
“To see [the foundation] transpire into someone holding their child, I remember that feeling,” Ashley exclusively told Us on the gala’s red carpet. “To be able to bless someone with that, it’s really special.”
The Rodón and Busch families have long been connected over the effort to help others through fertility struggles. Speaking to Us earlier this month, Ashley said she hoped the families’ foundations could help keep Kyle’s legacy alive.
“I think so many people will remember him for what he’s done on the racetrack, but it’s so much more than that now,” she said. “Like, every single family they’ve helped is just carrying Kyle’s legacy through their life too, and I think that’s really special and deserves a moment.”
