After his passing, his longtime pal Carl Hiaasen shares that the 'Margaritaville' singer did not let his skin cancer and lymphoma diagnosis stop him from showing his strength and love of life.
- Sep 4, 2023
AceShowbiz - Jimmy Buffett allegedly did not slow down despite his cancer diagnosis. A few days after his passing, the "Margaritaville" singer was revealed by one of his friends Carl Hiaasen to have not let the disease stop him from doing things he liked.
In an interview published on Sunday, September 3, Carl remembered his longtime pal Jimmy who died on Friday, September 1 after suffering from skin cancer and lymphoma. The 70-year-old recalled one moment which showed Jimmy's strength and love of life during their trip to the Bahamas. Speaking to PEOPLE, he said, "I was with Jimmy in the Bahamas in October of 2022. He was supposed to take it easy although he didn't know what that meant."
"He was fishing when a large lemon shark was heading for him," the author recounted. "He had a drone up because he wanted a video of this experience. He was so excited because he wanted to put it on stage while he was performing during his next tour when he performed his song 'Fins'. The shark was really close but Jimmy was so excited. He was planning for where this video would go in his show. There was no way to slow him down!"
"He just got up and disappeared even though he was told to take it easy," Carl went on to explain. "We couldn't see him and were trying because we wanted to know where he went. After five or more minutes, he came back, hopped off, and was as happy as can be."
During the chat, Carl also expressed his thoughts on Jimmy suffering from cancer and lymphoma. He stated, "I truly thought he could beat this because he had such a phenomenal attitude. This is so hard for me to accept or talk about." He also declared that the late singer was "larger than life" and "invincible."
In the wake of his close friend's death, Carl has paid tribute to Jimmy. On Saturday, September 2, Carl uploaded a series of Jimmy's pictures and wrote a lengthy caption that read, "Heart-crushing news to learn that @jimmybuffett's gone. He was a close friend for almost 40 years. Nobody had more pure fun in life, or worked harder to share it with others."
"He lived true to his songs, and he was writing with joy until the end, tweaking the final cuts on a new album," the "Hoot" author continued. "Jimmy had one gear: moving at the speed of light, even in flip-flops. He was, literally and exuberantly, all over the map. Richly talented, wonderfully generous, and wildly passionate about the places he cherished - peaceful islands and harbors where he transported everyone who loved his music."
"Still he was happiest on stage, whether it was a bar in Key West or center field at Fenway Park. I'd like to think that somewhere is a pristine stretch of Caribbean beach where we still might find - propped against a palm tree - a fly rod and a Martin guitar," Carl added. "And, riding the waves, a familiar bionic pirate on a long board, grinning about all the cool shit he got away with. I'll miss you, JB. Millions will. Thanks for the laughs, the adventures, and the unforgettable sound track."
