Real estate broker Cristina Grossu Biffle, founder and owner of the recently launched Leisurely Real Estate, was among seven people killed Thursday after a private plane crashed at Statesville Regional Airport, about 45 miles north of Charlotte, N.C. She was traveling with her husband, retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, and their two children. Grossu Biffle was a member of NAR's "30 Under 30" class of 2019, and the couple was featured in REALTOR® News in October 2024 for conducting rescue missions to help victims who were stranded in mountainside communities in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.
According to reports, the couple were traveling Thursday on a Cessna C550 business jet that took off shortly after 10 a.m. and was en route to Sarasota, Fla., before turning back toward the airport. The aircraft attempted to land but was engulfed in flames upon impact at about 10:20 a.m.
The couple was on the plane along with their 5-year-old son Ryder, Greg’s 14-year-old daughter Emma, and three other passengers. All seven passengers on board were killed. Greg Biffle, a NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee, was a licensed pilot and reportedly owned the aircraft.
Grossu Biffle’s mother, Cathy Grossu, says she received a text from her daughter just before the fatal crash: “We have to make an emergency landing.” Soon after, she heard her worst nightmare confirmed.
“My whole life has changed forever,” says Grossu, who's also an NAR member and who had recently joined her daughter’s team at Leisurely. “It’s so hard to understand. I can’t imagine I won’t see my daughter again. … She was so productive—she just had two closings last week. Her phone was constantly going off with calls and text messages. She was so innovative, always enjoyed helping and making people happy. Greg, too. … As I reflect back, I’ll remember how much they enjoyed everything they did. They were constantly on the move—and they loved every minute of it. They did more in their short lives than people do in an entire lifetime.”
Hailed by NAR for her Business Acumen, Kind Heart
“This is a tragic loss for the REALTOR® community," says NAR President Kevin Brown. "In her endless pursuit of service to others, Cristina represented the best of what we are all about as REALTORS®. NAR extends our deepest sympathies to the entire Grossu and Biffle families.”
Grossu Biffle—who went by Cristina Grossu professionally—was a top-producing real estate professional and was selected in 2019 for NAR’s 30 Under 30.
Fellow honoree Krista Clark, a broker with Century 21 Signature Real Estate in Urbandale, Iowa, says: "Cristina was an extraordinary human being. She inspired so many in her short time with us, and her impact will continue to live on through the people who knew her, loved her, and learned from her. Our entire 30 Under 30 community is committed to honoring her by continuing to tell her story and giving back in her name."
Grossu Biffle was featured in October 2024 REALTOR® News reporting on Hurricane Helene because of her role in coordinating rescue missions for victims stranded in North Carolina. Using the family’s private helicopter, she and her husband delivered food, water and satellite internet equipment to remote mountain communities that had been cut off by widespread flooding and power outages. They worked tirelessly to coordinate aid to stranded families, and their efforts were widely hailed as heroic.
And that was just one of many ways she quietly served others. Cathy Grossu told PEOPLE that one of her daughter's last acts of kindness was to complete 17 final Santa letters to children looking for a bit of Christmas magic.
Clark says Grossu Biffle regularly sent the letters to families in need. "She personally sent more than 2,500 letters this year alone," Clark says. "To Cristina, this was just one small act, but to the lives she touched, it meant everything. That was who she was."
Greg Biffle, a two-time NASCAR national-series champion, had increasingly become involved in humanitarian efforts since retiring from racing—efforts his wife frequently supported and joined.
For her philanthropic work, Grossu Biffle was nominated in 2025 for NAR's Good Neighbor Award.
Top Producer, Mentor, Connector
Grossu Biffle began her real estate career in 2012 and was licensed in multiple states over the years, including Florida, Washington, D.C., Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina. In August, she announced the launch of her own brokerage, Leisurely Real Estate, based in Mooresville, N.C.
"To say this is a tragedy is an understatement," says Kayla Ueltschi, a real estate agent who joined Leisurely Real Estate in November but who has been a long-time family friend of the Biffles. "They all were so young, loving and full of life. Cristina is who helped build a road map for me to get into real estate. I know if I needed anything, she would always be there. Business or personal."
In a September Instagram post, Grossu Biffle reflected on being selected as an NAR 30 Under 30 honoree and the network and connections it brought her over the years. Every year, she wrote, more than 125 30 Under 30 alum would meet to brainstorm business goals for the year ahead. This year, she wrote that her goal was not to slow down but to push ahead. “Life is short and can be cut too short, and I want to spend time really doing things my family loves and dedicating my time and services to clients who value my time.”
She continued the sentiment in another post: “We only get one shot at this, and every sunrise is a reminder that the time is now. ... At the end of the day, your time, energy and love are your greatest currency. Spend them wisely. Prioritize moments with people who matter. Create memories that make your soul smile. Everything else can wait.”
Read more: Real Estate Agent Flies on Rescue Missions to Help Helene Victims
