Jimmy Buffett's daughter, Sarah "Delaney" Buffett, is remembering her late father and his final days.
The "Margaritaville" singer died on Sept. 1 at the age of 76 after a four-year battle with a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma, according to an official obituary posted to his website. On Wednesday his daughter paid a touching tribute to him on social media.
"I knew my dad my whole life but in his final days, I saw who he was: a man whose spirit could not be broken," she wrote on Instagram.
"Despite the pain, he smiled everyday. He was kind when he had every excuse not to be. He told us not to be sad or scared, but to keep the party going. And as much as I’d like to use that as an excuse to drink myself into oblivion worthy of his literary heroes, I know it’s not what he meant," she added.
Delaney continued, "Yes, he loved his weed and his wine, but the truth is, most of the time, he was just high on life, and that is what he wanted for everyone: to enjoy the fantastic trip that life can be."
In her post, the producer and director also offered insight into what her father was like in everyday life.
"He was the hardest working person I’ve ever seen. He was a great man and an even better dad to my brother, sister and me," she wrote.
"He was generous with his friends and strangers alike. He had a deep admiration for the people he worked with, and he never took himself too seriously, which is probably what I loved most about him."
Concluding her post, Delaney went on to thank people for their "tributes, stories, and notes," which have "lit up my darkest hour."
"Finally, to my dad, thank you," she added. "You turned nothing into something and gave me everything. I will never be able to repay you or my mom for my beautiful life. I will love you forever, and I will always keep the party going (responsibly, of course)."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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