On Monday August 8th, Olivia Newton-John’s husband, John Easterling, announced that the legendary singer-actress had passed away.
His statement said that she passed away “peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends.”
The post continued, “Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer. Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be made in her memory to the @onjfoundation.”
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Nearly 30 years ago, Olivia Newton-John was diagnosed with cancer for the first time. In 2017, the multi-talented entertainer was diagnosed for the third time, this time with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.
After her death, her “lasts” have become so much more meaningful. For example her last social media post, which was a sweet photo of her and Easterling just three days before her passing.
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Her last release, a duet with her daughter Chloe Lattanzi titled “Window In The Wall.”
We also uncovered her last interview, which was on a podcast called A Life of Greatness hosted by Sarah Grynberg. The podcast described the interview as a “rare and intimate conversation, together they discuss Olivia’s ongoing battle with stage four breast cancer, how starring in the movie Grease changed her life, and the healing power of love.”
In one eye-opening moment, Grynberg asked Newton-John if she has ever contemplated death.
“I have quite a few times,” she said. Newton-John added that it happened “sooner than I would have wanted,” seeing as she was first diagnosed with cancer at the age of 44.
“I mean — we all know we are going to die. I think we spend our lives probably much in denial of it,” she said. “What I feel about it is extremely personal, so I find it hard to put into words. I believe that we are all part of one thing. I’ve had experiences with — how can I put it? — spirits or spirit life or felt the spirit world or have heard things that I believe there is something that happens. It’s almost like we are parts of the a big computer and we go back to the main battery. I don’t have a definite definition of what it is. Some people call it ‘heaven.’ Some call it ‘the universe.’ I just think there is a great knowingness out there that we become part of.”
Newton-John continued, saying that she hopes to see “the energies of the people you love are there.”
She said she believed that “all the love will be there,” adding that she knows people who have had near-death experiences, including her husband, who have said that they saw Heaven, and it was “the most unbelievable feeling of love that you’ve every experienced and you don’t want to come back.”
Because of those experiences, she said, “So I’m kind of looking forward to that. Not now but when it happens.”
Now that she’s gone, this interview is so much more powerful.
Listen to the podcast here.