Greg Biffle’s daring Hurricane Helene helicopter mountain rescue resurfaces after NASCAR hero’s death
As the American sporting world mourns the tragic death of Greg Biffle, his heroic humanitarian work is being remembered by his legions of fans.
Biffle, 55, was one of seven who died in a plane crash in North Carolina on Thursday. The NASCAR great passed alongside his wife Cristina, teenage daughter Emma and five-year-old son Ryder. Others on the flight were identified as Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth.
As tributes pour in, many have drawn attention to Biffle’s desire to help others. Last year, when Hurricane Helene hit the United States and caused widespread devastation, Biffle worked endlessly to help people, flying rescue missions on his personal helicopter.
And one stunning video of Biffle helping a person in distress has resurfaced across social media after his passing was confirmed on Thursday afternoon.
Sharing footage filmed from the cockpit, Biffle explained how he spotted someone from afar desperately signaling for help with a mirror.
‘The mirror that caught our attention well over a mile away,’ Biffle wrote. ‘Only way we were able to find someone stranded in the mountains at bottom of steep canyon.’
Greg Biffle’s rescue work in Hurricane Helene has resurfaced in the wake of his tragic death
Biffle somehow spotted someone signaling for help from a mile away in his helicopter
Biffle added that he had made multiple attempts to land and help the person before he eventually managed to get the helicopter safely onto the ground.
‘6 attempts to land due to difficulty but we got there – got him a chainsaw, EpiPens, insulin, chicken food, formula, gas, 2 stroke oil, and sandwiches premade from Harris Teeter before we left.’
Helene was repsonsible for around 250 fatalites in the United States and caused an estimated $78billion in damage
Discussing the storm later, Biffle said: ‘I had no idea at that point in time how devastating this storm was.
‘What started out to be rescuing one family, turned into 4,000 messages. It went viral.’
His work was commended by U.S. Rep Richard Hudson when the news of Biffle’s death was confirmed.
‘The Biffles flew hundreds of rescue missions in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene,’ Hudson wrote on X.
‘The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were.’
Cristina Biffle, pictured with her husband, NASCAR star Greg Biffle, sent a chilling message minutes before the private jet they were traveling in crashed in North Carolina
Seven died in the inferno on Thursday, including at least two children
Cristina Biffle’s mother, Cathy Grossu, revealed that the group appeared to know the plane was going to go down moments before their death on Thursday.
Speaking to People, the NASCAR star’s mother-in-law revealed her daughter sent a three-word message just minutes before the crash: ‘We’re in trouble.’
‘She texted me from the plane and she said, “We’re in trouble.” And that was it,’ Cathy explained, while in tears. ‘So we’re devastated. We’re brokenhearted.’
Biffle’s Cessna C550 private jet slammed into the runway at Statesville Regional Airport around 10.15am.
Cristina’s mom has also revealed that the group were heading to Florida for a ‘birthday trip’ when the horrifying crash occurred.
‘To think that they would be killed on a birthday trip, that was just such a fun time for the family,’ she added. ‘And to see the horrific way that it ended, it’s just, it is so hard to bear. I cannot believe they’re gone.’
