Samantha Busch has endured two devastating losses in just a matter of weeks. On May 21, 2026, her husband, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, passed away suddenly following a severe illness. Now, she is grieving the loss of her grandfather. She honored his passing with a deeply personal tribute that celebrated the memories that kept their family close.
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Samantha Busch’s emotional tribute honored both her grandfather and Kyle Busch
“Bye Nonno,” Samantha wrote on her Instagram story. “I hope you and Kyle are drinking Italian wine together in heaven and pretending either of you can understand one another just like the very first Christmas you all met.”
Alongside the message, she posted a photograph of herself with her grandfather. She affectionately referred to him as “Nonno,” the Italian word for grandfather. The tribute carried a touch of humor through the pain, imagining Kyle and her grandfather sharing wine while they jokingly struggled to understand each other’s conversations. Just as they had when they first met during a family Christmas years ago.
Samantha followed it with another touching story. This time, she shared a photo of her grandfather enjoying pasta at home with her children and wrote, “And that Nonnie is making you guys pasta and her famous sauce.” The message painted a comforting picture of loved ones reunited. At the same time, it also highlighted the traditions that have always been central to her family.
Family has long been at the heart of Samantha Busch’s life. Raised in St. John, Indiana, by her parents Steve and Donell Sarcinella, she grew up alongside her younger brother Steven in a large Italian family. And her relatives all lived within about 30 minutes of one another. Gatherings, homemade meals, and close relationships were part of everyday life. This background makes the loss of her grandfather especially painful.
Her ‘Nonno’ also witnessed one of the happiest chapters of Samantha’s life. She met Kyle Busch during a race weekend at Chicagoland Speedway in 2007 while working a promotional modeling assignment as she pursued a psychology degree at Purdue University. Their relationship quickly blossomed. The two married on New Year’s Eve in 2010 during a lavish ceremony in Chicago that was later featured in a Style Network television special.
Now, Samantha’s tribute connects those two important people in her life through a memory that only her family could fully appreciate. Rather than focusing solely on grief, she chose to celebrate the bond they shared and the joy they brought to those around them.
In less than two months, Samantha Busch has endured two heartbreaking losses. Yet through her words, she continues to honor the people who shaped her life. She is preserving their memories with warmth, gratitude, and the quiet hope that they are together once again.