Just hours after the tragic passing of two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch at the age of 41, fans channeled their grief into supporting his cherished infertility charity.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the wake of the heartbreaking news of Kyle Busch’s death, NASCAR fans quickly rallied to pay tribute to one of the sport’s most iconic figures in a meaningful way.
By Thursday evening, the Samantha and Kyle Busch Bundle of Joy Fund, an organization the Busch couple established to assist couples with the expenses of fertility treatments, saw a significant surge in donations.
Messages accompanying these donations included heartfelt notes like “In Memory of Kyle Busch,” “In Honor of Kyle Busch,” and “In Memory of Rowdy,” reflecting the affection and respect fans nationwide held for him. Many donors contributed $18.08, a symbolic gesture referencing the car numbers Busch famously drove—No. 18 during his championship tenure with Joe Gibbs Racing, and No. 8 with Richard Childress Racing in his later years.
Busch was admitted to the hospital on Thursday due to a severe but unspecified illness, as stated by the Busch family. Later that evening, NASCAR, along with his family and Richard Childress Racing, confirmed his passing, although the exact cause of death has not been disclosed.
A fan posted on X to encourage people to donate to the charity after Busch’s death was announced.
“Absolutely think it would be great if NASCAR fans supported the @bundleofjoyfund it’s a charity created by Samantha and kyle busch and provides monetary grants for in-need couples struggling with infertility and the costs associated with IVF treatment,” said the post from user @samh8876, which had more than 1,000 likes as of Thursday evening. They later shared a screenshot of donations pouring in.
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The Bundle of Joy Fund began with a deeply personal experience. Samantha and Kyle Busch faced the challenges of infertility, overcoming multiple IVF cycles and miscarriages, emotional setbacks and the heavy financial toll that comes with fertility treatments. Their son Brexton was born through IVF, and the experience moved them to found the charity in 2015 to help eliminate the financial barriers preventing access to fertility treatments.
To date, the Bundle of Joy Fund has awarded more than $2 million in financial grants to more than 150 grant recipients, resulting in the birth of 100 babies. The fund is dedicated to advancing access to IVF care and coverage, increasing awareness and providing support so others don’t have to navigate infertility alone.
Donations to the Bundle of Joy Fund can be made at bundleofjoyfund.org.