While Olivia Newton-John was battling cancer, she was raising awareness and funds for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre. Not long ago, she auctioned off some of her most beloved items from her time filming the movie Grease in order to raise funds for her cancer centre.
She parted with the famous leather jacket and pants, a Pink Ladies jacket the crew gifted her with, the prom dress she wore to the movie’s premiere, and a many more items. Her leather jacket from the final scene of the film went for an astonishing $243,200 to a buyer who had chosen to remain anonymous.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itRFjzQICJU
“I’m fond of all of them, because they all have memories and, you know, incredible moments associated with them,” Newton-John said of her belongings being sold. “But I have learned, with, you know, going through things in my life, that things are things and that’s not what’s important, but the memories are. So I feel very happy that, you know, these are things, and I’m not gonna take them with me, so better that somebody else enjoys them now.”
When her items sold, she never expected to see them again, which is why this moment caught her completely by surprise.
The man who bought her jacket decided to return it to her in December 2019 and luckily for us, it was caught on camera. Still wanting to stay anonymous, the man’s face was blurred out of the video.
Newton-John’s eyes were closed then the man appeared with a wrapped box and a letter in his hand. He began reading, “The odds of beating a recurrent cancer using the newest emergent therapies is 1,000 fold greater than someone appearing out of the blue, buying your most famous and cherished icon, and returning it to you.”
The moment he said that, her jaw dropped and tears welled up in her eyes. She then covered her mouth in disbelief and hugged him for several seconds.
The man continued, “This jacket belongs to you and the collective soul of those who love you and those for whom you are the soundtrack of their live. It should not sit in a billionaire’s closet for country club bragging rights. For this reason, I humbly and respectfully return it to its rightful owner, which is you.”
Newton-John told him she was “blown away” by his gesture and thanked him for his generous donation to her centre, to which he said, “It’s only the beginning.”
The man suggested she put it on display at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in her native Australia and she said it was a dream of hers to do so.
What an incredible gift!
Olivia Newton-John passed away August 8, 2022. She is dearly missed.