AGT star Nightbirde’s sister reveals heartbreak over her death and says singer’s life was ‘nothing close to easy’

THE sister of late America’s Got Talent star Jane Marczewski has issued a heartbreaking tribute to the singer after she passed away over the weekend following a lengthy battle with cancer.

Marczewski, who performed under the stage name Nightbirde, tragically died on Saturday in San Clemente, California. She was 31-years-old.

The Marczewski FamilyMarczewski, who performed under the stage name Nightbride, tragically died on Saturday[/caption]

GettyJane appeared on Season 16 of America’s Got Talent, receiving the golden buzzer from Simon Cowell[/caption]

In a statement to The Sun, her grieving sister Katelyn Marczewski voiced her heartbreak over Jane’s death, but said she leaves behind a “legacy of hope and strength that came from her faith in Jesus.”

“Her life was nothing close to easy, but she lived it with true joy and strength,” Katelyn said.

“Jane truly understood the beauty of life and the importance of living each day as it is given to us.

“We can’t always change our circumstances, but in the words of Jane, we are worth more than the bad things that happen to us.”

‘UNIMAGINABLE LOSS’

In an obituary shared by the Marczewski family, relatives said they had been left “devastated by her passing and unimaginable loss.”

They also remembered the 31-year-old for her “larger-than-life personality” and unrivaled sense of humor.

“She had a witty joke for every occasion – even if the joke was on her,” the tribute reads.

“Her lasting legacy will be the gift of hope she communicated through music.”

Jane became a social media sensation after appearing on the 16th season of America’s Got Talent last year.

She received a Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell for her performance of her song It’s OK, which became an overnight success as a video of her performance racked up over 30million views on YouTube.

She later had to withdraw midway through the season, revealing at the time her health had “taken a turn for the worse” since her audition.

“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.”

Read our Nightbirde live blog for the very latest news and updates…

Marczewski had been battling cancer for four years. She previously revealed she had a “2% percent chance of survival”, disclosing that the cancer had spread to her lungs, spine, and liver.

“But 2% isn’t 0%,” she wrote in another social media post. “Two percent is something and I wish people knew how amazing it is.”

FINAL POST

The AGT star shared a heartbreaking post before her death, revealing life was “pretty brutal.”

In a post on January 11, Nightbirde shared what became her last selfie on social media before her death.

She gave a soft smile to the camera, alongside a heartfelt message to her followers on how she was feeling.

She wrote: “Honestly, things have been pretty brutal.

“But this is a photo of myself from last week where I felt pretty, and alive, and awake, and human, and real.”

The performer concluded: “I needed that. We’re all a little lost and it’s alright.”

‘GIVING UP IS MUCH WORSE’

Last November, the singer went on CNN and gave fans an update on her cancer battle.

While speaking to former host Chris Cuomo, Nightbirde revealed her latest diagnosis and opened up about the “pain of giving up.”

She said: “I did get a scan result back and a bunch of stuff that was there has now disappeared, and a bunch of the really big stuff has gone down in size. We’re on the way.

“It’s a lot to process the highest highs and the lowest lows of my life all happening at the same time, and all of this playing out in front of millions of people is really – it’s a lot to carry.

“But it’s also such an honor because the whole world is carrying their own weight, and we get to learn how to do this together.” 

When Cuomo mentioned if she felt “comfortable to dream,” Nightbirde opened up: “I think life sometimes is a game of ‘choose your pain’ so the pain of continuing or the pain of giving up.

“So, the pain of continuing there is a lot more uncertainty that way, but I think the pain of giving up is so much worse.”

TRIBUTES POUR IN

Following the news of Marczewski’s tragic death, which was first reported by TMZ, tributes to the performed have been pouring in across social media.

Among those paying tribute was AGT judge Howie Mandel, who said Marczewski was “such a bright inspirational light in all our lives. 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 have met, heard and known her,” Mandel wrote.

AGT host Terry Crews also paid tribute to the singer in an Instagram post, writing: “We are saddened to learn about @_nightbirde’s Passing.

“Our Condolences goes to her Closest Family & Friends in such of This difficult time. We Love you, Nightbirde .”

Marczewski’s family have announced plans to hold a Celebration of Life Service on Friday, March 4, at Cornerstone Church of Licking County in her hometown of Nashport, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for fans to donate to The Nightbirde Foundation online via GoFundMe.

As of early Monday evening, the fundraiser had amassed $700,000 in donations.

InstagramThe AGT star shared a heartbreaking post before her death, revealing life was ‘pretty brutal’[/caption]

InstagramJane is seen in her final Instagram post[/caption]

The Marczewski FamilyThe family will be celebrating her life in Nashport, Ohio on March 4[/caption]