"Gone too soon."
Tributes and sadness flowed, yesterday, as it was revealed that Jimmy Buffett, 76, had unexpectedly died. Former President Bill Clinton, knighted singer Sir Elton John, country star Toby Keith all paying tribute. The most poignant, without doubt, came from surf great Kelly Slater who counted Buffett as his surrogate father, ending with, “It 5 o’clock somewhere, Jimmy and I know you’d be smoking a joint with a drink in your hand and a huge smile on your face like any good pirate would.”
Many tears flowed for Slater’s personal loss.
While the account of Buffett’s shock passing made it seem peaceful, at his Sag Harbor home surrounded by loved ones and his dogs, the exact cause was not revealed.
Today, we learn that Buffett, an avid sailor, standup paddler, man of the sun and sea had been brought low due the surfer’s curse.
Skin cancer.
Per USA Today:
He had been battling Merkel cell skin cancer for four years, which the National Cancer Institute describes as a rare carcinoma which usually appears as a single painless lump on sun-exposed skin and tends to metastasize quickly. It is second to melanoma as the most common cause of skin cancer death.
He kept performing while undergoing treatment, and Buffett’s last show was a surprise 45-minute appearance at a July 2 Mac McAnally show in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where he brought the crowd to its feet screaming when he walked out.
The Margaritaville star kept his battle with skin cancer private, a “medical issue” only becoming public in 2022 after he was forced to cancel a spate of shows.
Buffett glamorized the joys of floating listlessly on the waters, soaking up the rays, skin turning leathery and brown. Something surfers everywhere understand and enjoy. The terror the sun can inflict generally pushed to the back of the mind. A good reminder, I suppose, to wear sunscreen, visit dermatologist etc.
Flags, in any case, will fly at half staff at Margaritaville locations over the weekend.
“Gone too soon,” as Elton John declared.
