'America's Got Talent' Contestant Drops out After Cancer Setback
Jane Marczewski, the singer who won over Americans' hearts during her America's Got Talent [...]
Jane Marczewski, the singer who won over Americans' hearts during her America's Got Talent audition, withdrew from the competition on Monday after suffering a cancer setback. Marczewski, whose stage name is Nightbirde, earned a Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell early on in Season 16 after she performed her original song "It's OK." However, on Monday, Marczewski, 30, said her condition has only worsened since her audition.
At the start of her post on Monday, Marczewski reflected on the importance of her AGT journey and how she brought hope to people around the world. "Sharing my heart with the world on AGT has been an honor and a dream come true," she wrote alongside a black and white photo of herself. "My point of view this summer has been astounding. What a miracle that the pain I've walked through can be reworked into beauty that makes people all over the world open their eyes wider."
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Sadly, her journey on the show has to come to an early end. "Since my audition, my health has taken a turn for the worse and the fight with cancer is demanding all of my energy and attention," she wrote. "I am so sad to announce that I won't be able to continue forward on this season of AGT. Life doesn't always give breaks to those that deserve it - but we knew that already."
The Zanesville, Ohio native still found a way to end her post on a positive note. She thanked everyone for their support and assured her fans she will get better soon. "I'm planning my future, not my legacy. Pretty beat up, but I've still got dreams," she wrote.
"We're keeping you in our thoughts for a full recovery," the America's Got Talent team wrote on Marczewski's Instagram post. "We are with you, praying for you and here if you need anything," actress Chrissy Metz added. The Bachelorette star Hannah Brown also sent her thoughts and prayers, adding, "What an inspiration you are to us all!"
Marczewski became an instant star in June when she performed on AGT and inspired Cowell to hit his Golden Buzzer right after her audition. She told judges Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara she had cancer in her lungs, spin, and liver. She inspired viewers by refusing to let cancer define her. "It's important that everyone knows I'm so much more than the bad things that happened to me," she said on the show. As the gold confetti rained down on her, Marczewski said she only had a 2% chance of survival, but that was more than zero percent. "Two percent is something and I wish people knew how amazing it is," she said.
After the episode aired, Cowell told PEOPLE he knew instantly that Marczewski would earn his Golden Buzzer. "Her voice was absolutely stunning and performing her original song 'It's OK' after she told us what she was going through with her cancer, it really moved me," he said. "This was a very, very special moment." The judge was "absolutely mesmerized" by her performance and said Marczewski is "truly an inspiration." The official video for Marczewski's performance of "It's OK" on AGT has over 30 million views on YouTube. AGT returns on NBC on Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. ET.