‘I shouldn’t have let her fly’: Heartbroken ex-wife of NASCAR legend Greg Biffle makes agonizing admission at funeral for daughter, 14, killed in horror fireball plane crash—as she reveals the ‘chilling’ Christmas gift she bought just hours before tragedy struck

Former NASCAR star Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina Grossu Biffle and his two children were killed in a plane crash just days before Christmas.

Now, heartbreaking new details are emerging from the funeral of one of the children.

The Biffle family was traveling to spend the holidays with popular YouTuber Cleetus McFarland when disaster struck. On December 18, 2025, a small jet went down shortly after takeoff from Statesville, North Carolina.

The crash claimed the lives of Greg, Cristina, their kids Emma (14) and Ryder, as well as Craig Wadsworth and Dennis and Jack Dutton.

Ex-wife’s heartbreaking letter

At the funeral for their daughter Emma, Greg’s ex-wife, Nicole, read a deeply emotional letter that left the audience in tears. Nicole admitted the guilt she carries for letting Emma fly that day despite feeling unwell.

“I will always agonize over letting Emma fly that day despite the teen not feeling well,” she wrote.

Nicole also shared that she had purchased tickets to Italy the night before the crash, planning it as a Christmas gift for Emma.

The service, held at a local performing arts center, drew support from both the NASCAR community and Davidson Day School, where Emma was a student.

Her obituary described her as a “bright light” with an infectious smile and a deep love for animals.”

”She will be deeply missed by the many people who loved her but mostly by her mom, who shared a profoundly intense bond with her,” her obituary read.

Fans and friends were encouraged to honor her memory by supporting animal shelters or rescue organizations, causes close to the family’s heart.

Greg Biffle and Nicole separated almost a decade ago. Though the details of their relationship in Biffle’s final days remain unclear, the marriage ended bitterly in 2016 after a messy legal fight. The couple had tied the knot in October 2007, separated in March 2015, and finalized their divorce a year later.

Final text message

Just minutes before the crash, Greg’s wife Cristina Biffle (who he married in 2023) shared a reflective Instagram post that would tragically turn out to be her final message. The post spotlighted Martha Stewart’s rise to success and read:

“At 30, Martha Stewart hadn’t started a business. At 35, she launched her catering company. At 58, she became a billionaire.”

Her caption added: “These stories are your reminder that you’re not behind… you’re right on time.”

Just moments before the crash, 35-year-old Cristina Grossu Biffle also sent a text to her mother, Cathy Grossu, saying, “We’re in trouble,” Cathy shared with People.

“She messaged me from the plane and that was all—‘We’re in trouble,’” Cathy said through tears. “We’re shattered. Absolutely brokenhearted.”

Cathy described her grandson Ryder, her step-granddaughter Emma, and Greg as people who “had so much life” and were “doing so many good things” before the tragedy struck.

The jet’s black boxes

The Biffle family was aboard a Cessna C550 jet, which took off from Statesville Regional Airport around 10:00 AM. Flight data shows the plane remained in the air only a few minutes before flying erratically in a figure-eight pattern.

The jet attempted to return to the airport but crashed during landing around 10:15 AM, bursting into flames on the tarmac. The aircraft, registered to GB Aviation Leasing and owned by Greg Biffle, was piloted by the NASCAR legend himself.

The NTSB along with the FAA is working to determine the cause of the crash. Authorities have also sent one of the jet’s black boxes to Washington, D.C., for analysis.