In a new interview, Jimmy Buffett’s wife, Jane Slagsvol, has opened up about the singer’s final years, which were challenging due to his battle with skin cancer.
Buffett, the iconic musician and businessman died at 76 on Sept. 1 after four years of being treated for a rare skin cancer.
Jane Slagsvol, shared a message on Buffett’s website on Sept. 9 thanking his doctors, friends, and fans. She also reflected on their time together.
“As Jimmy said a few months ago, ‘growing old is not for sissies,'” she wrote. “These last few years have been unimaginably challenging for Jimmy and me, and we’re definitely not sissies. 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.”
“Jimmy was love,” she wrote. “Every cell in his body was filled with joy. 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.”
Slagsvol also expressed her gratitude to Buffett’s fans, whom she called a “big, boisterous family,” and the couple’s friends during a difficult time.
“Jimmy and I felt your breathtaking love and compassion throughout our lives and, especially, over these past few years,” she wrote. “Jimmy brightened telling you stories over long dinners as the cicadas sang. He loved occupying his place at the head of the table, looking at the people he cherished. You created a microclimate of affection that surrounded us like the sun. It gave us hope; it felt like a celebration even when things were grim. It’s a balm to me now.”
Buffett was diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer, in 2019. He underwent surgery and chemotherapy, but the cancer returned in 2022.
Despite his illness, Buffett remained positive and continued to perform. He canceled a few shows in the months leading up to his death, but he never gave up hope.
“He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many,” Slagsvol said.
Jimmy Buffett's wife of 45 years Jane Slagsvol pays a touching tribute to her husband and thanking fans for being 'surrounded by love' https://t.co/VvIm1TmMDi pic.twitter.com/Omw3fut7Dg
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) September 11, 2023
