McKibbin suffered an aneurysm on Wednesday, her husband Craig Sadler announced Saturday in a Facebook post. McKibbin was kept on life support until Saturday so her organs could be donated, he wrote.
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"She was so loved that I know thousands of you will be grieving with us. There are only a few hours left for me to hold her hand and kiss her forehead," Sadler wrote.
Sadler said that when she was taken to the operating room, the surgical staff played the song "Landslide" sung by Stevie Nicks, who McKibbin "practically worshiped."
Sadler asked fans to take a moment to listen to the song and think of McKibbin.
"She will know that you're sharing her farewell. She loved so many of you and I know you loved her too," he wrote.
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McKibbin finished third in the first season of "American Idol" in 2002, behind winner Kelly Clarkson and runner-up Justin Guarini.
"Nikki McKibbin was an incredible talent and we are deeply saddened by the news of her passing. She was part of our American Idol family and will be truly missed. Our hearts and prayers go out to her family and friends during this difficult time," according to the show's Twitter account.
The-CNN-Wire
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