LOS ANGELES — Jane Marczewski, the Zanesville woman known by the stage name Nightbirde from America's Got Talent, has died after her battle with cancer -- TMZ first reported Monday citing “a source with direct knowledge.”
AGT officials provided the following statement to 3News on Monday afternoon: "Your voice, your story, and your message touched millions. Nightbirde will always be a member of the AGT family. Rest In Peace, Jane."
AGT host Terry Crews, judges Howie Mandel and Simon Cowell posted their condolences on social media.
"Heart breaking news to hear about @_nightbirde, she was an extraordinary person, so brave, so talented," Cowell wrote on Twitter. "She made a huge impact on AGT and the world. Her determination to fight this terrible illness was remarkable. Rest in peace, Jane. I am sending my love to her family."
"@_nightbirde was such a bright inspirational light in all our lives," Mandel wrote on Twitter. "We must continue to live and learn from her words and lyrics."
"We are saddened to learn about @_nightbirde's Passing," Crews posted on Instagram. "Our Condolences goes to her Closest Family & Friends in such of This difficult time. We Love you, Nightbirde.”
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Her family also provided the following statement to NBC:
It is with the deepest heartache that we confirm that after a four year battle with cancer, Jane Marczewski, known to many of you as Nightbirde, passed away on February 19th 2022.
We, her family, are devastated by her passing and unimaginable loss.
Many remember her from America’s Got Talent, where she performed her song "It’s OK" and inspired millions of people around the globe with her messages of faith and never giving up.
Those who knew her, enjoyed her larger-than-life personality and sense of humor. She had a witty joke for every occasion—even if the joke was on her.
Her lasting legacy will be the gift of hope she gave to so many through her music and the strength she found in Jesus.
We thank everyone for their messages of love and support
Nightbirde, who earned a Golden Buzzer for her audition on AGT last year, decided to leave the competition before the live shows began because her health had taken a turn for the worse. She then launched a GoFundMe to help pay her medical bills in a fundraiser that has since generated nearly $697,000.
Nightbirde's Golden Buzzer moment came from judge Simon Cowell when she first auditioned on AGT with an original song titled It's OK. It's a moment (watch below) that has now been viewed more than 39 million times on YouTube.
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The last post on Nightbirde's Instagram page came several weeks ago on Jan. 11 in which 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. I needed that. We’re all a little lost and it’s alright."
This is the last tweet posted to her Twitter page on Dec. 31: