AGT Golden Buzzer Withdraws from Competition as Cancer Battle Takes ‘Turn for the Worse’

After delighting fans all the way back in “America’s Got Talent’s” second episode this season, where she earned Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer, singer Nightbirde has announced she is withdrawing from the competition.

The Golden Buzzer had advanced her directly to the live shows, which are set to kick off next week after Olympic coverage wraps on NBC. Nightbirde, full name Jane Marczewski, earned gold with her inspirational original song, “It’s Okay,” which talked about the challenges she’d been facing.

She shared the story of her heartbreaking battle with cancer on the audition stage, revealing that she’d been given a two-percent chance of survival. “Two percent isn’t zero,” she said optimistically.

Now, that battle has taken a “turn for the worse,” according to her latest Instagram post, forcing her to step back from the competition and focus on this fight.

“Sharing my heart with the world on ‘AGT’ has been an honor and a dream come true,” the artist captioned a striking black-and-white image 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.”

She then explained that since she filmed that appearance, her “health has taken a turn for the worse and the fight with cancer is demanding all my energy and attention.”

After confirming that she is unable to continue this season on “AGT,” she wrote, “Life doesn’t always give breaks to those that deserve it — but we knew that already.”

Keeping that optimistic attitude, Nightbirde thanked all her fans and followers for their support, and promised, “I’ll be better soon. I’m planning my future, not my legacy.”

“Pretty beat up, but I’ve still got dreams,” she concluded her message.

It’s not unprecedented for a reality show contestant to get a second shot when unforeseen circumstances force them to withdraw from a competition. We’ve seen contestants advanced straight to Hollywood on “American Idol” under similar situations.

Perhaps, there is yet an “AGT” future for Nightbirde once she fulfills her own promise of overcoming these latest challenges and getting better. And that future could well include a ticket straight to the live shows for summer 2022.

“AGT” judges Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara sent well-wishes her way. Sharing Nightbirde’s original message to her own IG page, Klum added a message of her own for the singer: “We will miss your energy, your passion, and your beautiful voice at the live shows. The entire #AGT family loves you and we’re all rooting for you.”

Vergara shared it as well to her IG page, adding the words, “Here’s to planning for a bright future @_nightbirde. ✨Your energy, your smile, and your amazing voice will be missed at the #agt live shows, but we’re rooting for you and your big dreams!”

Klum later shared Nightbirde’s entire audition to her IG page, as well, so fans could relive that magical moment when they met her bright and joyous spirit for the first time: