'AGT' star Nightbirde who died of cancer shared one final message everyone should hear: 'You dont...'

In the 2-minute-long video, Marczewski beautifully shared how sadness and grief can co-exist with gratitude and hope.
PUBLISHED APR 19, 2025
A screenshot of Jane Marczewski from an episode of 'America’s Got Talent' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | America's Got Talent)
A screenshot of Jane Marczewski from an episode of 'America’s Got Talent' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | America's Got Talent)

Jane Marczewski, who shot to fame as 'Nightbirde' on 'America's Got Talent' Season 16, left behind a great legacy! For those unaware, let us share with you, Marczewski passed away at the age of 31 on February 19, 2022, after losing her battle to cancer. Just a few days later, Marczewski's family announced the heartbreaking news of her death by posting a video message on her official Instagram page. In the 2-minute-long video, Marczewski beautifully shared how sadness and grief can co-exist with gratitude and hope, which is indeed a lesson we can all take something from. "Here's the thing: just because you are sad or grieving doesn't mean you're not grateful, and it doesn't mean you are not hopeful. It doesn't mean that you are still not fighting for your life, that you still don't have it in you to keep going," Marczewski said at that time, as per Mothership.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Nightbirde ⚡️ (@_nightbirde)


 

Marczewski further added, "But sadness and grief and mourning and lamenting and crying and screaming and being angry: these are ways that we honour what was lost. These are ways that we communicate it to the world."I heard a quote that says sadness is the soul's way of saying, "This mattered." And I think grieving and feeling through all the emotions that you feel—the sadness and the grief and the injustice and the anger and the loss and the bargaining -- I think it's holy work."


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Nightbirde ⚡️ (@_nightbirde)


 

The Ohio native wrapped up the video by saying, "I used to believe that if I was sad, it meant that I wasn't fighting hard enough or I was not grateful enough, and that's not true. Be sad, and be grateful. And look at the twinkly lights and feel your feelings, and it's all real -- the joy and the pain --it's all real, and you don't have to pick one or the other like, "It's beautiful, or, Life is garbage. It's kind of both sometimes. Love you guys. Thanks for listening to my TED Talk from Bed Talk."


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Nightbirde ⚡️ (@_nightbirde)


 

During her audition on 'America's Got Talent,' Marczewski stunned the judges by performing her original song “It’s Okay" and received a standing ovation from the judging panel. Not only this, Marcewski also earned a Golden Buzzer from judge Simon Cowell. According to NBC, Cowell broke down in tears after hearing Marczewski's backstory and told her, "Your voice is stunning. There was something about that song, the way you just almost casually told us what you're going through... Everything about that was really special."



 

In her audition video, Marczewski said, "Last time I checked, I had some cancer in my lungs, my spine, and my liver. It's important that everyone knows I'm so much more than the bad things that've happened to me...I have a 2% chance of survival, but 2% is not 0%. 2% is something, and I wish people knew how amazing it is." After a couple of weeks, Marczewski announced that she was leaving the NBC talent competition and stated that her “fight with cancer is demanding all of my energy and attention.”

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