Olivia Newton-John’s daughter and widower have spoken for the first time in an emotional interview in which the late Grease actress’ child, Chloe Lattanzi, revealed the final touching words her mother said to her before her death.
The legendary actress, best known for her role as Sandy in 1978’s Grease, died last August at the age of 73 after a long battle with breast cancer.
Now her grieving family members have spoken out about how they are coping with her loss, while also sharing glimpses of her final moments before her death.
Her grieving widower, John Easterling, also shared how he’s still talking to her out loud six months after her death.
“The last words she could say to me were ‘My sunshine,'” Chloe, 37, told Today, adding that her mother kept her sense of humor until she died.
Olivia Newton-John’s daughter Chloe (left) and widower John Easterling have spoken for the first time since the actress died aged 73
Olivia Newton-John, left, during one of her final public appearances in 2019. She is shown on the right in her most iconic role in 1978’s Grease
“And just before she lost her ability to speak, she was joking.”
Chloe is Olivia’s daughter with her first husband Matt Lattanzi, to whom she was married between 1984 and 1995.
John, who married Olivia in 2008, said he felt his late wife’s presence the most “late at night, early in the morning.”
“I’ll just walk around the house or throw the ball to the dogs and just talk to her out loud,” said the 70-year-old, who got visibly emotional at times.
“A guy I flew with said, ‘You know John, when you’re lucky enough to have found your true soulmate and you share a heart, when one dies, the other has an obligation to live for to live both. “And that was very empowering and very powerful for me and, you know, showed a way forward.
Olivia passed away in August last year after a brave and extraordinarily public decades-long battle with cancer.
The Australian actress died peacefully at her home in Southern California surrounded by family and friends and John announced her death on her Facebook page.
“Olivia has been a symbol of triumph and hope for over 30 years, sharing her journey with breast cancer,” John said at the time.
Her grieving widower, John Easterling, also shared how he’s still talking to her out loud six months after her death
Olivia and John Travolta in the legendary 1978 film Grease that catapulted their careers. He was among the first to pay tribute to her after her death
Just days before her death, Olivia posted a heartwarming photo to Instagram alongside her husband John Easterling
Olivia’s husband John announced her death on her Facebook page
“Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicines continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund dedicated to research into plant medicines and cancer.”
Olivia became a household name after starring opposite John Travolta as Danny in Grease.
Travolta was one of the first to pay tribute to her after her death, writing: “My dearest Olivia, you have made all of our lives so much better. Her impact was incredible. I love you so much. See you on the street and we’ll all be together again.
“From the moment I saw you, yours and forever! Your Danny, your John!’
Olivia has beaten breast cancer twice but was re-diagnosed in 2017.
Grease co-star Travolta was among the first to pay tribute to Olivia following her death
She has spent the last few years at home campaigning for animal rights and raising money online for her charity.
Days after her death, Olivia’s husband wrote a touching tribute to the actress on her Instagram page.
“Our love for one another is beyond our understanding. Every day we expressed our gratitude for this love that could be so deep, so real and so natural,” he wrote.
“We never had to ‘work’ on it. We were in awe of this great mystery and accepted the experience of our love as past, present and forever.
“At her deepest essence, Olivia was a healer using her mediums of song, words and touch. She was the bravest woman I have ever known.”
The couple were introduced to each other by a friend in the 1990s but didn’t fall in love until 15 years later, according to People.