Jimmy Buffett’s wife Jane Slagsvol is paying tribute to the late singer, remembering his sense of humor and describing as him as her “heart.”
She shared a message on Buffett’s website, writing that she wanted to thank a “whole world of people” for their support following the singer-songwriter’s death on Sept. 1.
“As Jimmy said a few months ago, ‘growing old is not for sissies,’” Slagsvol wrote. “These last few years have been unimaginably challenging for Jimmy and me, and we’re definitely not sissies.”
The two were married for 45 years.
“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,” Slagsvol continued. “There is a whole world of people I want to thank for the incredible kindness you showed us.”
She described Buffett’s legions of fans, affectionately called Parrotheads, as family.
“Since those early days and all through the decades, Jimmy’s fans became a big, boisterous family,” she said. “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.”
Slagsvol also thanked Buffett’s medical team for their compassionate treatment and care as he dealt with a Merkel cell skin cancer diagnosis, and thanked Buffett’s colleagues who had worked with him for years.
“You made our lives better in thousands of ways, big and small, each day,” she wrote.
Of Buffet, she wrote, “Jimmy was love.”
“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,” she said. “Jimmy was always the optimist, always twinkling, always making us laugh. To my family. I cannot begin to express what you mean to me and Jimmy. I cherish you, I love you, and I am unfathomably grateful to you every day. You are my heart.”
Buffett is also survived by his children Savannah, Sarah and Cameron.