Marczewski previously shared she has a "2% chance of survival" with "some cancer in my lungs, spine and liver."
Jane Marczewski, a singer known by her stage name Nightbirde, has died after a battle with cancer, her family confirmed.
"We, her family, are devastated by her passing and unimaginable loss," the Marczewski family said in a statement, provided by NBC, according to CNN. Her family revealed that she had been fighting cancer for the past four years.
The singer rose to fame after she appeared on NBC's "America's Got Talent" as a contestant, after performing an original song called "It's OK." During her performance, she disclosed to the judges that she was battling cancer that had spread to her lungs, spine, and liver.
Marczewski also managed to impress judge Simon Cowell with her positivity and resolve. "You can't wait until life isn't hard anymore before you decide to be happy," she told the judges. This outlook on life, and her talent prompted Cowell to give her the coveted "golden buzzer," which advanced her to the next round of competition.
Unfortunately, Marczewski had to drop out of the show, as her health had "taken a turn for the worse" since her audition, per USA Today. "I am so sad to announce that I won’t be able to continue forward on this season of AGT," she wrote on Instagram at the time. "Life doesn’t always give breaks to those that deserve it – but we knew that already."
But during a virtual interview aired on the show, Marczewski said it was "beautiful to see the world welcome that song into their own dark night."
"I'm overwhelmed by it," she said, of the reaction to "It's OK."
At the time, Cowell said Marczewski made the right decision to focus on "your well-being, your health, and your recovery."
"You made the decision, rightly so, that your health is your priority right now and I know the last time we spoke you actually said that you feel like you let people down," Cowell told her, holding back tears. "On behalf of all of us, you haven't let anyone down. Even though you haven’t competed – you already won."
"Your voice, your story, and your message touched millions. Nightbirde will always be a member of the 'AGT' family. Rest In Peace, Jane," the show said in a statement.
Judge Howie Mandel shared, "We must continue to live and learn from her words and lyrics. As much as I feel horribly about her passing I feel lucky to to have met, heard and known her."
"Those who knew her enjoyed her larger-than-life personality and sense of humor. She had a witty joke for every occasion—even if the joke was on her," her family added. "Her lasting legacy will be the gift of hope she gave to so many through her music and the strength she found in Jesus. We thank everyone for their messages of love and support."
Marczewski previously shared she has a "2% chance of survival" with "some cancer in my lungs, spine and liver." She added, "But 2% isn't 0%. Two percent is something and I wish people knew how amazing it is."
Rest in peace, Nightbirde, your music and your presence will be missed.
References:
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/21/entertainment/nightbirde-dead/index.html
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSEuaEyn0sr/
Cover Image Source: YouTube | America's Got Talent
