Before leaving for his early birthday celebration along with his family and friends, Greg Biffle posted some Christmas cards so they would reach his loved ones on time. However, little did he know that he would never return. His plane crashed on December 18, killing seven people on board. But now, his letters are finally reaching his friends, and it’s a heartbreaking experience.

“I received this in the mail today. My words can’t say enough about the family,” one of Biffle’s friends, a restaurant owner in North Carolina named Ron Herbert, shared on social media.

When he opened his mailbox on Sunday, Herbert found the holiday card from the Biffles. Greg, with his wife, Cristina, and daughter from his former marriage, Emma, and 5-year-old son, Ryder, were sitting in front of a flocked Christmas tree. The matching clothes, white tshirts and blue jeans, only made the photo look more comforting.

In the photo, Cristina and Emma looked at each other while Ryder and Greg looked at one another to capture a candid pose with happiness clearly visible on their faces. That itself is quite heart-wrenching, but their message on that card made it more hurtful:

“We hope that you are able to slow down and enjoy the magic and joy that this season has to offer. We hope you have a great New Year! Sending love, Greg, Cristina, Emma & Ryder.”

That simple and sweet message hit like a rock to Herbert and all of those who feel his loss today.

The Biffle family had taken off in their Cessna 550 Citation II on their way to meet a friend and popular YouTuber, Cleetus McFarland. However, the plane faced some unknown issues shortly after takeoff and crashed while attempting to land back at the airport on December 18.

Biffle was also a trained and licensed pilot; however, he wasn’t licensed to fly jets such as the Cessna 550. It remains debated if he was present in the cockpit with the captain, as the NTSB continues with its investigation. There were three people with a license on the plane, and it’s not known yet who was flying.

Cleetus McFarland and Cristina’s mother’s heartwarming tribute to the Biffle Family

The Biffle family and his friends were flying to meet Mitchell, also known as Cleetus McFarland, for some lunch and an early birthday celebration, as Greg would’ve turned 56 on December 23. The two had met during Biffle’s Hurricane Helene rescue mission and grown into good friends over time. Mitchell revealed that Biffles were present on that plane, and days after the tragedy, he shared an emotional tribute to his late friend.

“The last year and a half with him has been some of the greatest moments of my life. I am lucky to have had him as a mentor, and a close friend. I’ve never met someone I had so much in common with,” McFarland wrote.

McFarland also mentioned Cristina, saying, “His wife Cristina was an absolute pleasure to be around and an amazing mother. There’s so much more to say, but here’s some of our best moments. We love you guys so much. It’s an absolute tragedy we had to lose the Biffles like this.”

Cristina’s mother, Cathy, had also shared that just before the family’s crash, the 35-year-old had texted her from the plane and wrote, “We’re in trouble.”

“That was it,” Cathy tearfully said. “So we’re devastated. We’re brokenhearted. I cannot believe they’re gone. I don’t remember those last words, and that’s going to haunt me. But they were happy.”

The 2024 Myers Brothers Award recipient and his family were not just great parents, but they had multiple philanthropic efforts going on that only make their absence feel harder. Now, all that the friends and family are left with are those final Christmas cards as the fans continue to push for NASCAR to institute a memorial award to honor Biffle’s legacy.