KEY WEST, FLORIDA: Delaney Buffett, Jimmy Buffett's youngest daughter, paid a touching homage to her father, who died of skin cancer at the age of 76, per Daily Mail.
Buffett and his second wife Jane Slagsvol had two daughters, Savannah, 44, and Delaney, 31, as well as an adopted son, Cameron, 29.
Delaney, a writer, producer, and director who has worked on various films and television shows, paid a poignant homage on Instagram on Wednesday, September 6.
Delaney Buffett's heartfelt tribute to father Jimmy Buffett
"I knew my dad my whole life but in his final days, I saw who he was: a man whose spirit could not be broken," Delaney said in her heartfelt tribute.
"Despite the pain, he smiled everyday. He was kind when he had every excuse not to be. He told us not to be sad or scared, but to keep the party going," Delaney said.
"And as much as I’d like to use that as an excuse to drink myself into oblivion worthy of his literary heroes, I know it’s not what he meant," she added.
Delaney also acknowledged that her father "loved his weed and his wine, but the truth is, most of the time, he was just high on life, and that is what he wanted for everyone: to enjoy the fantastic trip that life can be."
"My dad was the joy he sang about. He was the hardest working person I’ve ever seen. He was a great man and an even better dad to my brother, sister and me," she noted.
"He was generous with his friends and strangers alike. He had a deep admiration for the people he worked with, and he never took himself too seriously, which is probably what I loved most about him," she said of her father.
'South Park' featured a parody of Jimmy Buffett
Delaney also remembered the three episodes of 'South Park' that contained a spoof of her father, and she added that when she showed them to him, "he loved chuckling along."
"I remember teasing him about their Margaritaville blender jokes, and without missing a beat, he zinged me with "You live off those f***ing blenders!" He got me there," she added.
"Over the past few days, people have thanked me for sharing my dad with them, but I know he would have wanted me to thank his fans for sharing their lives with him," she went on.
"We are his family but the stage was his home, and you, his band, and everyone on the road gave him the strength to keep going back," Delaney noted.
Delaney thanks doctors who helped Jimmy Buffett
"I’ll pass something along my mom said to me, 'Whenever you feel sad or lost, look for the messages in the music. There are plenty,'" Delaney said.
She also expressed her gratitude and affection for the physicians, nurses, and other people who supported him throughout his cancer treatments.
"My dad repeatedly told us how much he appreciated the doctors, nurses, and every person who was there for him during his battle with cancer," she continued.
"So to those who took care of my dad at home and in the hospital, I want to thank you for giving us more time together. I am eternally grateful," she added.
"To the family and friends supporting us during this time, thank you for reminding me of the importance of human connection," Delaney further mentioned.
"I knew laughter was the best medicine, but it’s never rung truer than it does now. If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane," she added.
"And a big thank you to everyone for your tributes, stories, and notes. My dad and I shared a love for words, so reading yours has lit up my darkest hour," she went on.
"And finally, to my dad, thank you. You turned nothing into something and gave me everything. I will never be able to repay you or my mom for my beautiful life. I will love you forever, and I will always keep the party going (responsibly, of course)," she ended the beautiful post.
What do Jimmy Bufett's daughters do?
The 'Margaritaville' singer died on Friday at the age of 76, leaving behind three children: daughters Savannah and Delaney, and son Cameron.
Savannah, the oldest child, was born in Aspen, Colorado, in June 1979. The radio personality wrote on her personal website about growing up traveling frequently with her parents, claiming she "had a passport before she could walk."
According to her website, she DJed, worked for A&R, and even lived with members of Maroon 5 and Phantom Planet, serving as a "musical den mother" to them.
Sarah Buffett, also known as Delaney, was born in Nashville in April 1992, according to her IMDb biography. She is Buffett's second child.
She has produced and directed movies like 'City of Angels' (2016), 'The Spring' (2017), and 'Up the Stairs' (2018).
She disclosed on Instagram last year that she co-wrote the romantic comedy 'Manville', which Lea Thompson had agreed to direct.
Jimmy Buffett and Delaney's special project
In the midst of the pandemic lockdown in 2020, Delaney and her father worked together on a unique project: a YouTube video series titled 'Songs You Don't Know by Heart'.
Delaney, who was behind the camera, would quiz her father about a different obscure song from his discography before he would perform it live, as per People.