The Story of Jane “Nightbirde” Marczewski from America’s Got Talent – Can it Really be, Okay?
Did you hear about the inspiring yet heartbreaking story of Jane “Nightbirde” Marczewski? She achieved immediate fame after appearing on America’s Got Talent (AGT) during the summer of 2021, when she sang her original song called “It’s Okay”. Even though I do not watch these type of televised competition shows very often, I must admit that I do not recall ever witnessing an original song, performed by the song’s lyricist, on this type of reality show before. During her AGT performance, Nightbirde told the judges she had been battling stage 4 breast cancer, which had recently metastasized into her lungs, spine, and liver. After she finished singing, she received the golden buzzer award from AGT’s Simon Cowell for her awe-inspiring performance, which catapulted her original song to number 1 on iTunes the following day. Her meteoric rise to fame demonstrates how her incredible signing voice coupled with her heart-breaking story captivated the fans of America’s Got Talent. Here is how Wikipedia describes her AGT performance:
“In June 2021, she (Jane Marczewski) performed as Nightbirde during the 16th season auditions on America's Got Talent. During her post-performance interview with the judges, she offered an inspirational statement:
"It’s important that everyone knows that I’m so much more than the bad things that happen to me... You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy.”
Nightbirde subsequently received a Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell for her performance of her original song "It's Okay". The song became No. 1 on iTunes and No. 2 trending on YouTube. In August 2021, before she could compete in the show's quarterfinal round, Nightbirde withdrew from the competition because of worsening health. Cowell encouraged her not to return to the competition, saying "you don't need the stress right now." Nightbirde appeared via remote broadcast during the live quarterfinals of AGT on August 11, 2021 to express gratitude and give an update on her health.”
In case you are like me and are not familiar with the AGT golden buzzer concept, I did some research and learned it was introduced with the stipulation that each judge may press their Golden Buzzer only once during the season. The Golden Buzzer automatically sends the act to the next round regardless of the other judges' votes; its main purpose is to break ties. In Nightbirde’s case, there was not going to be a tie as all the judges loved her story, performance, and signing voice. Instead, Simon Cowell pushed his buzzer simply to pay tribute to Nighbirde. When Simon Cowell pushed that Golden Buzzer, she immediately became an overnight sensation. Until she had to withdraw from the AGT competition, many experts tagged her as the show’s frontrunner and expected her to go on and win AGT and the $1 million prize. I first became aware of Nightbirde when I saw a news story on her on NBC Nightly News earlier in 2022. Her story went viral so quickly that even the national television networks provided coverage on her. She was also extensively covered by news outlets like Access Hollywood, an American television entertainment news program.
The following video link is a recording of her June 2021 performance on AGT – grab some tissues as you might need them when she shares her cancer story before singing “It’s Okay”:
Below are the lyrics to Nightbirde’s original song called “it’s Okay”:
“[Verse 1] I moved to California in the summertime I changed my name thinking that it would change my mind I thought that all my problems, they would stay behind I was a stick of dynamite and it just was a matter of time, yeah [Pre-Chorus] Oh dang, oh my, now I can’t hide Said I knew myself but I guess I lied [Chorus] It’s ok, it’s ok, it’s ok, it’s ok If you’re lost We’re all a little lost and it’s alright It’s ok, it’s ok, it’s ok, it’s ok If you’re lost We’re all a little lost and it’s alright [Post-Chorus] (It’s alright, it’s alright) It’s alright, it’s alright
[Verse 2] I wrote a hundred pages but I burned ‘em all (Uh I, I burned ‘em all) I blow through yellow lights and don’t look back at all (Uh, I don’t look back at all) Yeah, you can call me reckless, I’m a cannonball (Uh, I’m a cannonball) Don’t know why I take the tightrope and cry when I fall”
Unfortunately, it is not a happy ending for AGT fans as here is how Wikipedia describes Jane “Nightbirde” Marczewski’s health history and eventual death from cancer:
“Marczewski was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and declared cancer-free in July 2018. Her cancer recurred in 2019, and she was given three to six months to live, but she was again declared cancer-free in 2020. Prior to her America's Got Talent audition, Marczewski was told that the cancer had metastasized to her lungs, spine, and liver. With only a 2% chance of survival, she gave health updates on CNN and social media. According to Nightbirde, “I have a two percent chance of survival, but two percent is not zero percent. Two percent is something, and I wish people knew how amazing it is.” Marczewski died from the disease on February 19, 2022 at the age of 31, surrounded by family in her San Clemente, California residence. The Marczewski family created The Nightbirde Memorial Fund, a new foundation that donates to cancer research and will help support those unable to afford the treatment they need. The AGT judges and host released condolences on social media. America's Got Talent: Extreme honored Nightbirde at the end of the "Auditions 2" episode on February 28, 2022. A title card read "In Memory of Jane “Nightbirde” Marczewski" (with a photo of her).”
I should point out that Nightbirde passed away on my birthday (February 19, 2022) this year, which brought a tear to my eye when I read her Wikipedia page for the first time. As a two-time cancer survivor, I felt an immediate connection to her and her cancer story when I read about all that she went through, that she was from Ohio, and when I learned about the date she died. A celebration of her life was held near her hometown in Ohio on March 4, 2022. Thousands of people, including AGT fans, tuned in to watch her celebration of life ceremony on YouTube.
Marczewski was married to a musician named Jeremy Claudio. The couple separated in 2020, after which she moved from Nashville to Long Beach, California. Nightbirde sold merchandise on social media and raised money for medical expenses via GoFundMe.
As you can see from the preceding quotes, Nightbirde had an amazingly difficult cancer trial which was filled with a few highs and many lows. Twice she was advised by her oncologists that she only had months to live and, in the middle of all of this, her husband tells her he wants a divorce, so they separate. In a June 9, 2021, earnthenecklace.com article (“Who Is Jane Marczewski’s Ex-Husband, Jeremy Claudio?”), the second half of the following excerpt from that article details how Nightbirde describes her separation from Claudio:
“This time, she was given a three-to six-month life expectancy. And the same week, she shared in a profile featured on Saturate Global, her husband “let me know he did not love me anymore and was done with our marriage.”
In other words, Jane’s husband said to her in one of her darkest hours that “I do not know how to deal with all of this, so I am checking out of our marriage.” She probably thought to herself – really, I am probably going to die, and now you tell me that you do not love me anymore and you are leaving me? I realize many people go through a divorce each year and all those situations are emotional rollercoasters. However, it is hard for me to comprehend how difficult it must have been for her emotionally when she when she receives that devastating “I do not love you anymore” news from her husband the same week her oncologist tells her that her cancer has metastasized, and she only has a 2% chance of survival. In other words, she finds out her husband is leaving her the same week her doctor tells her that her cancer has spread throughout her body and there is a 98% chance she is going to die. Can you imagine what it must have felt like to have your doctors deliver what amounted to a second death sentence and then you find out that same week that the person you love the most in this world tells you that he doesn’t love you anymore? When I reflect on her cancer trial experiences, I cannot even begin to imagine the emotional difficulties she endured in the 4 years she battled breast cancer. She had every right to be angry at the world, angry at her husband and angry at her cancer situation. When I consider the emotional and physical pain she endured in the last few years of her life, the first question which pops in my head is “how in the world was she able to write a song which says everything is okay”? After pondering that first question for a few moments, the second question which I start to wonder about is “even though her doctors were telling her everything was not okay, was Nightbirde misleading her fans by telling them everything was okay”?
Before I begin to address those two questions, I would like to discuss the concept of misguided encouragement and how such advice is often provided to someone with terminal cancer. Understanding this important concept will be exceedingly helpful in understanding if everything can be, as Nightbirde suggests, okay or not. Have you ever watched a marathon race and waited for some of the slower runners to come in and cross the finish line? I am not talking about the front of the pack runners, but I am referring to the runners who are slower and often finish several hours after the winner crosses the finish line. Inevitably, there are always a few of these “back of the pack” runners in every marathon race who look like they might pass out and fall over from exhaustion as they strive to reach the finish line. I always find it interesting when some of the marathon race fans yell out to these poor slumped over and struggling runners with supportive statements such as “you look great…keep running strong…don’t give up as I know you can do it.” While I appreciate the motives of these well-intentioned comments from some of the race fans, the unfortunate reality is that these sluggish runners do not look great, they are not running strong, and it is impossible for them to know if they can do it or not if they have never met these runners before. It is also impossible for them to know how the runner is feeling or if they are truly capable of finishing the race. In my experience, many of these runners look like they may be close to needing medical attention. Unfortunately, these marathon race fans are giving these struggling runners misguided encouragement. Dictionary.com says misguided means “to guide wrongly; to misdirect.” Yes, it is as if these race fans do not know what else to say so they attempt to say something positive to provide encouragement to these slow and obviously struggling runners. Let me be clear - there is nothing wrong with these race fans motivating these runners with their encouraging comments. However, telling them that they look great and are running strong when they obviously are struggling mightily is why these well-intentioned statements should be characterized as misguided encouragement.
Likewise, I have observed more than my fair share of instances where friends and family members provide cancer patients, who have already been diagnosed with a terminal condition, with misguided encouragement. It is a quite common occurrence for me to witness people encouraging terminal cancer patients with comments such as “remain positive and be strong and everything will work out….you can beat this cancer….you can do it…I just know that you got this”. While these individuals have good intentions with their positive and blindly optimistic comments, they are providing these terminal cancer patients with misguided encouragement, which is not suitable consolation for someone who is likely staring death in the eye. In 15 years of ministering to people with terminal cancer, I have only met one person (Janet) who was discharged from hospice for no longer needing hospice’s services. Therefore, in my experience, there are very few Janet’s in this world as an overwhelmingly large majority of patients diagnosed with terminal cancer end up passing away during their cancer trial. Psalm 103:19 (ESV) tells us:
“The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all”
Since the preceding verse in Psalm 103 tells us that God is sovereign and in control of everything in this world including a terminal cancer trial, it is certainly a worthwhile endeavor for cancer patients and their caregivers pray to Him for healing. Why? God, and not the doctors, will ultimately determine how much time each of us spend on this earth. However, comments such as “you can beat cancer” ignore the potential outcome, death, which is more likely to occur for most people diagnosed with terminal cancer. In other words, “survival” may not be in God’s plans for each cancer patient who prays for healing. When considering what I have observed these friends and family members say to their loved ones with terminal cancer, do they not realize that the medical professionals have provided these patients with a different prognosis, which essentially says that they are hopeless, and they are likely going to die no matter what they try to do to save themselves. Unknowingly, these friends and family members are saying to these terminal cancer patients: “do not listen to the medical professionals but listen to me as I am the only one who is providing you with some sort of hope with my misguided comments.” Not only are these types of comments foolish, but they are also not helpful as they do not really provide the terminal cancer patient with any true hope should the medical professionals be accurate with their terminal prognosis. Why? I have learned that terminal cancer patients are always thinking to themselves, what happens to me if the medical professionals are correct with their incurable diagnosis? If I eventually succumb to my terminal cancer trial, where is my hope then? Some of my friends and family members are telling me that I can beat this cancer but what happens to me if they are wrong, and I do not beat it?
Why do so many people provide terminal cancer patients with misguided and foolish encouragement? I am sure there are a lot of reasons why these types of misleading comments are provided to terminal cancer patients. Many people just do not know what to else to say to someone who is likely going to die so they say the same “positive” comments they have observed others saying in similar circumstances. The bible provides a totally different perspective on why people avoid talking about the implications of a terminal cancer diagnosis and the prospect of death. The bible tells us that God designed each of us to fear death more than anything in this world. Psalm 55:4 tells us:
“My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me”
The preceding verse tells us that God designed humans to fear death, meaning the prospect of our own death terrorizes us and causes us great anguish. Since humans are designed to fear death more than anything in this world, it is only natural for people to avoid talking about death even when the person they are talking to has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. Since many people do not really understand what the bible has to say about death and the implications of it, most people choose to respond in a way which sounds encouraging, even though their reassuring words are often misguided and blindly optimistic. These well-intentioned comments also do not acknowledge the biblical fact that God ultimately determines the outcome of each cancer trial.
In the April 9, 2022, Cleveland Plain Dealer Newspaper, a father posted an “In Memoriam” notice in the obituaries’ section for his son, Charles “Chuckie” Zingale, who was born two years before I was born and passed away in 2018. Here is what this father’s Plain Dealer message said:
“Happy Heavenly Birthday – Death leaves a heartache no one can heal. Love leaves a memory no one can steal. Miss you my son.”
When considering what was written in this in-memoriam notice, this mourning father raises an interesting question which is “does death leave a heartache which no one can heal”? I realize Chuckie’s father is referring to the heartache of missing his son who passed away before he did. However, this in-memoriam notice does point us to a bigger question which is “does the prospect of death always have to produce heartache when we consider the implications of it”? Dictionary.com defines heartache as emotional pain or distress; sorrow; grief; anguish. When we are looking for answers to life’s big questions, such as do death and heartache always go together, it is always profitable to read and consider what the bible has to say on the topic of that big question. Why? The bible is the inspired word of God, and it is where God provides us with answers to all the big questions in life. What does the bible have to say about death and the implications of it? The bible tells us that all who believe in Jesus Christ as their savior and Lord do not need to fear death as they can have eternal life in Him if they trust in the promises of the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:10 (ESV) tells us:
“And which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”
Did you catch what the preceding scripture says? It says Jesus ABOLISHED death and brings LIFE and IMMORATLITY to life through the gospel. I have no idea who “Chuckie” was as I never met him, nor did I know of him or ever hear of him. However, if Chuckie genuinely believed what the preceding scripture says, he really is having a happy heavenly birthday and this in-memoriam notice is not misguided encouragement to all of us who read it.
Nightbirde was given a terminal cancer diagnosis twice and, shortly before she authored her signature song “It’s Okay,” she was given only a 2% chance of surviving. Since she was staring right into the eye of death, is her “It’s Okay” song just another version of misguided encouragement to her adoring fans? In her situation, it is not misguided encouragement, and I will explain why in the balance of this blog post.
First, a little background on her life as detailed in her Wikipedia profile and elsewhere in articles which I read about her. Jane Marczewski was born on December 29, 1990. She grew up in Zanesville, Ohio. She had three siblings, and started songwriting at age six, when she helped her mother finish the lyrics for a song. As a young Christian, Jane volunteered and participated in various church ministries. She was a 2009 graduate of Licking County Christian Academy, and graduated from Liberty University, a Christian University in Virginia, with a marketing degree.
So, what about Nightbirde’s faith and was she a believer in Christ? In a June 2021 interview on iHollywood TV, Jane talks openly about her faith in Christ and how it is important for people to feel comfortable in sharing what they believe. When asked in the interview if her cancer diagnosis made her a stronger person, Nightbirde responded by saying her diagnosis only revealed the strength in Christ she already had. Here is how the Scioto Post Newspaper describes Jane’s commitment to Christian ministry in the April, 15, 2022 article, “Nighbirde’s Family Continues Legacy of Ohio Singer With Release on Good Friday “Brave”:
“She also spent many nights and weekends leading worship at Christian events throughout Ohio. It was during this time that she cultivated her love for music and ministry. During college, she continued her love for music by becoming a prolific songwriter and performer. When she was not writing or singing, she shared Jesus with the unparented youngsters in her neighborhood while providing them snacks after school. When she resided in Nashville TN, she was involved at The Belonging Church leading worship and participating as a youth camp counselor. She also enjoyed sharing Christ with the women at the Davidson County Jail. Many now know the Lord because of her evangelism and commitment to Christ.”
In a March 7, 2022, article (‘Jesus Is Why’—Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Christian Singer Jane “Nightbirde” Marczewski) in the magazine Christian News, Jane’s pastor from Ohio had the following to say about Jane in her celebration of life service:
“Todd Garman, pastor of Cornerstone Church in Heath, Ohio, talked about Jane’s faith in Christ. “If…our admiration for Jane stops at Jane, we’ll be missing something very major,” he said, “because Jane was a reflection of the Jesus that she loved. The reason she was so magnetic, magnanimous, others-centered, servant hearted, intentional, was because she was imitating—imperfectly—the Jesus of the Scriptures.”
In that same article, Celeste Kuriokos, Jane’s friend, shared the following about her:
“Marczewski’s friend Celeste Kuriokos said, “Jesus is why [Jane] believed a painfully tragic life could still be worth living—that life could be beautiful even when the world came crashing down.”
Celeste Kuriokos sums it up perfectly when she said Jesus was the reason Nightbirde was able to still have hope as she navigated the difficulties of a terminal cancer trial. In other words, Jesus is the reason Jane was able to sing “It’s Okay” even when her life circumstances suggested everything was not okay. This is not a misguided observation on Celeste’s part as she knew Jane was trusting in her relationship with Jesus. Celeste pointed out that Jane knew that Christ was the one who could provide her with true hope when the medical professionals were telling her she was hopeless. She was also suggesting that Jane knew that Jesus would always love her even when her husband told her that he did not love her anymore and that he wanted a divorce. In John 15:9, Jesus tells us:
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”
In the Bible, the word “abide” takes on a greater intimacy and is often used to show the need to rely on the Lord in every aspect of one’s life. One of the synonyms for “abide” is persevere. Therefore, Jesus is telling us in the preceding scripture to persevere through the trials in life by trusting in Him even when you are fighting terminal cancer and even when your husband tells you he does not love you anymore. If you look closely at the lyrics of “It’s Okay,” you will notice it says in the chorus: “We’re all a little lost and it’s alright.” This is a biblical statement as the bible tells us that we are all lost and in need of a savior. Luke 19:10 (ESV) tells us:
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Jane expressed in her song lyrics that she knew she was lost. However, as we learned from her both pastor and from her friend Celeste, Jane also knew that only Jesus could save her and that this would only happen if she was trusting in Him and abiding in Him. Therefore, Jane knew it could only be okay, and it could only be all right if she was trusting in the promises of the gospel. Only God knows the condition of each of our hearts, including Nightbirde’s heart. However, Nightbirde demonstrated repeatedly in her life that she was abiding in Christ. Therefore, she knew that no matter the outcome of her cancer trial, her faith in Christ promised her that it really was going to be Okay. 2 Timothy 1:10, referenced earlier, promises all who believe in Him, including Nightbirde, Life and immortality, and she was abiding in these promises according to her friends and family who knew what she believed.
If you are battling cancer, have you trusted in Jesus Christ as your personal lord and savior? As promised by God in the scriptures, Jesus is the only one who can provide the terminal cancer patient with true hope in what appears to be a hopeless cancer situation. Nightbirde taught all of us that trusting in the promises of the gospel means everything really can be all right and it really can be okay because Jesus promises life and immortality to all who believe in Him. In fact, her faith in Christ was so important to her that she wrote her signature song for all of us to hear and consider what she truly believed. My prayer is that God will use her song and her story to glorify His name. As described by her friend Celeste, “Jesus is why she believed a painfully tragic life could still be worth living” response to her amazingly difficult cancer trial experiences will hopefully cause others to consider trusting in the promises of the gospel in their darkest hours like Jane “Nightbirde” Marczewski did. I am humbled greatly by her testimony and grateful for her poignant reminder that Jesus promises everyone who believes in Him that, no matter the outcome of their cancer trial, everything is going to be okay.
“And which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10 ESV)
Jim Risk, a two-time cancer survivor, is the volunteer Ministry Coordinator for the Cancer Support Group (CSG) at a non-denominational church in NE Ohio. Jim and his wife, Kristina, have participated and served in CSG, a Christian ministry, since 2007.
Comments