Jimmy Buffett's wife Jane Slagsvol penned a letter thanking the singer's fans, medical team and friends and giving insight into Buffett's last months before his death. Jane, who married Buffett in 1977, wrote that past few years have been "unimaginably challenging" for the couple due to Buffett's private battle with a form of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma. However, Jane writes that she and Buffett were strengthened by his legion of fans and friends all across the country, as well as by his doctors.
Videos by Wide Open Country
"Everywhere we went, at arenas, at events, and even in the hospitals, we were surrounded by love," she writes in a statement on Buffett's website. "There is a whole world of people I want to thank for the incredible kindness you showed us."
Jane continued to write to Buffett's dedicated fanbase in the statement.
"Since those early days and all through the decades, Jimmy's fans became a big, boisterous family," she says. "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."
Buffett's wife then turned her attention to the singer's medical team, saying Buffett followed their "every order."
"You gave him hope, even at the most hopeless moments," she continues. "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."
Jane then thanked the people who worked for Buffett and his family. She wrote that they "made our lives better in thousands of ways, big and small, each day" over the course of the singer's illness. Lastly, she thanked her and Buffett's friends, who "expanded the meaning and depth of friendship," as well as their family. She then honored Buffett with a heartfelt sentiment about who he was.
"Jimmy was love. Every cell in his body was filled with joy," she writes. "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 passed away on Friday, Sept. 1, at the age of 76. A posthumous album from the singer, Equal Strain on All Parts, will be released on Nov. 3. Album tracks "Bubbles Up" and "My Gummie Just Kicked In" are out now.
