Jimmy Buffett’s wife penned a poignant tribute to the late “Margaritaville” singer after he lost his battle with cancer.
“As Jimmy said a few months ago, ‘growing old is not for sissies.’ These last few years have been unimaginably challenging for Jimmy and me, and we’re definitely not sissies,” Jane Slagsvol wrote on Buffett’s website Saturday.
“One thing we both knew and experienced, through every difficult moment, was the feeling of being buoyed up by all the people in our lives. Everywhere we went, at arenas, at events, and even in the hospitals, we were surrounded by love. There is a whole world of people I want to thank for the incredible kindness you showed us.”
Slagsvol, 72, noted that her husband’s fans, known as Parrot Heads, “became a big, boisterous” second family to the couple over the years.
“Thank you for creating the world’s most joyful community,” she wrote. “The smile that Jimmy beamed at you from the stage was sparked by your spirit. I think that’s why he loved performing so much. He was so grateful to the community you built around him. Your sympathy and support inspire and comfort me and my family.”
Slagsvol also took a moment to thank Buffett’s “teams of doctors, nurses, hospice workers, and caregivers” for showing “overwhelming” compassion throughout the musician’s private four-year battle with Merkel-cell carcinoma, a rare, aggressive form of skin cancer.
“Jimmy listened to everything you said and followed your every order. You gave him hope, even at the most hopeless moments,” she shared.
“Thank you for your tenacity in seeking the best solutions at each stage of his illness. You were honest, brave, and empathic; you showed us such dignity and goodness. I could not have asked for a better team of professionals.”
After extending gratitude to family, friends and co-workers, Slagsvol remembered Buffett’s love for her and everyone who crossed his path.
“Every cell in his body was filled with joy,” she gushed. “He smiled all the time, even when he was deeply ill. And his sense of humor never wavered. Jimmy was always the optimist, always twinkling, always making us laugh.”
Buffett died on Sept. 1 at his home on Long Island. He was 76.
The “Come Monday” crooner, who performed his final concert on July 2 in Rhode Island, had been married to Slagsvol since August 1977.
The pair shared three children: Savannah, 44, Sarah, 31, and Cameron, 29.
