Jimmy Buffett was always known as a beacon of happiness, with his laid-back persona and his songs about margaritas and paradise. While the joy that he inspired will be his legacy, right now the loss of the music icon has left a void for the many fans touched by his music — and even more so for his wife of 46 years, Jane Slagsvol. Following Buffett’s death at age 76, Slagsvol has broken her silence on her husband’s passing, sending a message to the fans, doctors, friends and family for their support over the years, particularly the last few as Buffett battled his illness.
The singer of beachy staples like “Margaritaville” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise” died September 1 after a four-year battle with Merkel cell skin cancer. Elton John, Kenny Chesney and Miles Teller were among Jimmy Buffett’s famous friends who paid tribute to late musician, and just as they remembered the effect Buffett had on their lives, Jane Slagsvol wrote in a message on her husband’s website that the people in their lives had “buoyed” the couple, especially when things got hard. Slagsvol said:
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. 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.
It’s wonderful — but not surprising — to hear that those around Jimmy Buffett and his wife were able to help lift them up and surround them with love, particularly when times got “difficult,” as Jane Salgsvol recalled. There always seemed to be a mutual love between the singer and his Parrotheads, who — in addition to remembering him for his music — have also paid tribute by reminding us of his awesome appearance in Jurassic World, in which he played the double-fisting Margarita Man in a short but memorable cameo.
In her message to fans, Jane Slagsvol called the fans “family,” and assured them that Jimmy Buffett always felt their love when he performed. She continued:
Since those early days and all through the decades, Jimmy’s fans became a big, boisterous family. Thank you for creating the world’s most joyful community. 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.
Her message went on to thank the doctors, nurses and caregivers who gave Jimmy Buffett hope in even the darkest moments of his battle; the people who worked with and for her and her husband, saying that they made their lives better in a thousand ways; their friends for their love and compassion; and her family.
“Jimmy was love,” his wife of four decades wrote to fans, and she concluded by recalling the lyrics to one his final tunes:
One of the last songs Jimmy recorded was ‘Bubbles Up.’ He sings, ‘Just know that you are loved, there is light up above, and the joy is always enough. Bubbles up.’ Jimmy knew he was loved. Right until the end, he looked for the light. Thank you for giving joy to him and to me.
In Sir Paul McCartney’s tribute to the late singer, the Beatle had also referenced “Bubbles Up,” remarking how he loved that Jimmy Buffett turned a diving phrase into a metaphor for life. Even in the hardest times, Buffett showed people how to follow the bubbles, and according to his wife, his fans helped him to do the same to the very end.
Our thoughts continue to be with Jimmy Buffett’s friends and family, as well as everyone who was affected by the singer’s passing.