Touching reason why Kyle Busch and his wife funded over 100 IVF births before his death
Kyle Busch helped hundreds of people welcome children into their lives before his tragic death aged 41 last week.
News broke on May 21 that the NASCAR legend had died after a 'severe illness'. It was later revealed that Busch died from 'severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis', his heartbroken family said in a statement.
Busch is survived by his wife Samantha, and their two kids, four-year-old daughter Lennix and 11-year-old son Brexton.
The three of them made their first public appearance since Busch's untimely death on Sunday at a Coca-Cola 600 pre-ceremony, which the two-time Cup Series winner was due to take part in.
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But Busch's sports record and his family aren't the only legacies he leaves behind – he will also be remembered by the families of the 111 babies he and Samantha helped fund IVF for.
In 2015 the celebrity couple created the Bundle of Joy Fund and, per its website, over $2.3 million funds have since been granted.
IVF is extremely expensive in the US. The average cost of just one cycle is $23,474, says Carrot Fertility.
With this in mind, the Buschs wanted to help people afford the costs of starting a family.
Why? Because they endured their own fertility issues before welcoming their two kids, with Samantha suffering a miscarriage before Lennix was born.
"Kyle, and I battled infertility for over a decade before being blessed with our two beautiful children, Brexton and Lennix," Samantha wrote on the Bundle of Joy Fund website.
"Our journey was long and painful - six rounds of IVF, multiple miscarriages, failed cycles, and countless moments of heartbreak. We faced a rollercoaster of hope and devastation that so many families know all too well.
"Through it all, we held onto faith, each other, and the belief that somehow, someday, God would turn our pain into purpose."
Samantha also discussed her and her late husband's decision help others pay for IVF to PEOPLE back in 2020.
"We were fortunate to be able to afford IVF treatments but it devastated us to know that for many couples, getting their financial estimate would be the end of the road for them," she shared at the time.
"In that moment, we knew this struggle was put on us for a special reason. After our son Brexton was born, we started the Bundle of Joy Fund to help other couples become parents by granting them financial grants to alleviate at least some of the financial burdens associated with the IVF process."
The mom-of-two continued: “Seeing the families we have helped with their babies has helped us to make sense of our own difficult journey to conceive.
"It was worth all the pain, shots, the months of trying and roller coaster of emotions because it gave us the unique perspective of what these couples face and a strong desire to want to help others."
Niamh Shackleton