Jimmy Buffett Dead: It was a life full of extraordinary successes and dangerous misfortunes as Friday night saw the passing of the legendary singer and songwriter.
Jimmy Buffett has recently passed away after a battle with skin cancer.
Four years ago, the musician had been diagnosed with the disease, which unfortunately progressed to lymphoma.
Amid his death, his life full of highs, lows and near-deaths are revisited.
Jimmy Buffet Plane Crash
A passionate aviator, Jimmy Buffett was the proud owner of a 1955 Grumman HU-16 Albatross flying plane he had christened Hemisphere Dancer.
In 1994, tragedy struck when Jimmy attempted to take off in the waters near Nantucket, Massachusetts, ultimately crashing the plane. Miraculously, however, he managed to swim away with only minor injuries, which he later credited to his Navy Survival Training.
Almost Killed By Police Due To Drugs
Little did Jimmy know when he got on that plane, it would result in one of his most harrowing experiences.
In January 1996, in Jamaica, an incident with police occurred that almost cost him and fellow passenger Bono, the U2 singer, their lives. Cops there suspected them of drug smuggling.
Bono told the Belfast Telegraph, "These boys were shooting all over the place."
"I felt like we were in the middle of a James Bond movie - only this was real. It was terrifying, and I thought we would all die."
The U2 lead singer said, "Thank God we were safe and sound. My only concern was for their safety. It was terrifying, let me tell you. You can't believe I felt relief when I saw the kids were okay."
Though it had taken some fire, there was only minor damage to Hemisphere Dancer.
Eventually, this plane was retired and repurposed as an outdoor area for Jimmy's Margaritaville restaurant and club at Universal Studios Orlando. Its story then took on a life of its own when it inspired "Jamaica Mistaica," featured on "Banana Wind" in 1996.
Another Near-Death Incident
While performing his show in Australia, Jimmy encountered a terrifying moment when he suddenly lost consciousness and toppled off the stage.
It was January 26th, 2011, when it happened, and paramedics were dispatched to treat the Son of a Son of a Sailor singer.
As the doctor reacted to the situation, they commented: "At first I was convinced his neck had been injured... after hearing the thud of his head hitting off the metal ledge, I spotted an immense wound on his scalp."
"Thankfully, it healed up relatively quickly. But when I initially saw him, I thought he may have suffered serious spinal damage."
In 2012, to the delight of his many Australian fans, Jimmy Buffett made a triumphant return with two performances.
Keeping up with his usual delight, he even incorporated jokes about his near-fatal incident into the shows.
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