Almost five months after music great, Olivia Newton-John passed away, her daughter Chloe Lattanzi and husband, John Esterling opened up about the great loss in their first interview since her passing. Chloe opened up on how she has been holding her mom’s memories dear, as she also shared the singer’s last words.
Newton-John Was Positive Until The End
Chloe and Esterling joined Today ‘s Hoda Kotb in a Friday, February 17 interview where they spoke about life after Newton-John’s passing. Chloe who is also a music star, made it known that her mom made jokes until she took her last breath. The actress relayed that just before her mom lost her ability to speak, she always made up hilarious conversations.
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What Were Newton-John’s Last Words?
Lattanzi relayed that her mom also made sure to show her how she loved her even with her last words. She stated that the Xanadu singer’s last words to her were, “My sunshine.” The American singer fought back tears as she relayed how much she loved her mother. Chloe stated, “She’s my mama, you know? She’s not Olivia Newton-John to me, but I’m so glad that she was Olivia Newton-John for so many people.”
Lattanzi Says Fans Have Been Supportive
Going on, the Hollywood actress shared that her mother’s fans have been reaching out and the support really helped her. She described the support as ” a life raft,” adding that it felt like a “big hug from the universe.” Chloe relayed that she was grateful for the love.
Esterling Speaks About His Late Wife
The widower made it known that he “terribly” missed his wife every day, however, he was often grateful that he got to spend 15 “wonderful years” with her. Esterling gushed about the music icon stating that she ” had the willpower to really bring in the light and bring in the love” even in the most difficult times. He added, “And she was who she was all the way through.”
Newton-John’s Tragic Passing
On August 8, 2022, Newton-John’s phenomenal name made headlines as it was announced that she had passed away. The Grease actress died at her Southern California ranch where she lived with her husband. At the time of her death, Esterling made the announcement on Facebook .
Her Spouse Announced Her Passing
In his touching announcement, Esterling described his late wife as a “symbol of triumph and hope” for thirty years of her breast cancer struggle. He made it known that her drive for research on cancer treatment will continue through her Olivia New-John Foundation Fund.
The widowed wrote, “Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continue with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer.”
Her Battle With Cancer
The Summer Nights singer’s struggle with breast cancer started in 1992 when she was first diagnosed. She went public with her health condition at the time and launched her Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Center in Melbourne. She also became a fierce advocate for cancer treatment and research.
Her Cancer Struggles Came Back After Remission
For over 25 years, the singer’s cancer was in remission, but in May 2017, she announced that the malignant disease was back with full force. She also shared that it spread to her lower back. In 2018, Newton-John had to cancel a two-day tour three weeks after announcing it.
Inside Her Career
Newton-John was born in England and raised in Melbourne, to a headmaster dad, while her mom was the daughter of a Nobel prize-winning physicist. The late star was born the youngest of three children, and at the age of five, her family relocated to Melbourne, where she learned to play the piano also at that age.
By the age of 15, Newton-John was on her way to carving her niche in music. She formed Sol Four an all-girl music group that performed songs like Everything’s Coming Up Rose.
Musical Journey
In 1966, she signed with Decca Records and released a version of Jackie DeShannon’s Till You Say You’ll Be Mine, Newton-John brewed her career in the 1970s and 1980s. She started with a girl-next-door aura that brought her fame and success. The Hopelessly Devoted To You singer aced her first two number 1s in 1974, and this was possible through her pivotal US album debut, Let Me Be there .
Newton-John’s Musical Acclaim
The album earned her the first of her four Grammy awards. She went on to sell over 100 million records and had close to 40 entries on the Billboard Hot 100. Newton-John’s career lasted five decades of optimum success.
Her Fame With Grease
Newton-John’s already mind-blowing career reached a whole new level after she starred as Sandy Olsson in the 1978 critically-acclaimed musical Grease . She played the role of the Rydell High good girl alongside John Travolta, who played Danny Zuko.
Before playing Sandy Olsson, Newton-John starred in a movie titled Tomorrow , but t flopped. This gave her anxiety when she was slated to star in Grease . It turned out to be one of her most famous endeavors in the entertainment industry.
Travolta Shared A Tribute
After her death was announced, Travolta took to Instagram to a share heartfelt post while reminiscing on their moment together. He started off by referring to her as “my dearest Olivia” while penning that her impact was “incredible.” He wrote,
Her Research Effort For Cancer Treatment
Newton-John launched jer wellness center in Melbourne and raised hundreds of millions of dollars to fight the ailment. During her lifetime, the singer preferred to be called a cancer thriver and not a survivor.
Newton-John’s Family
At the time of her death, Newton-John left behind her spouse, daughter, sister, Sarah, and her brother Tobu She also had nieces and nephews. Prior to her death, the family mourned the passing of her sister, Rona who was also an actress. Rona died of brain cancer in 2013.
Newton-John’s Relationship With Her Daughter
The mom-daughter duo had a special bond that was uncommon. In Hollywood, many celeb kids have come out to share the story of their estrangement with their star parents, but this was not the case for Newton-John and Chloe.
Chloe Wrote Of Their Bond
A few days before her death, Chloe took to Instagram referring to her mom as her “best friend.” She wrote of how she “worshipped” the beloved singer. Chloe also gushed over their bond that was ‘unshakable.”
They Have Collaborated On Songs
Newton-John and Chloe have a couple of songs together. One of their last duets was on 2021’s Window in the Wall . Once speaking to THR about the song Newton-John, who died at 73, stated that the first person she thought of when she got the song, was her daughter.
Chloe’s Career In The Entertainment Industry
Chloe is an actress and singer, and she has starred in films like Sharknado 5 . She also had a stint on Dancing with the Stars: Australia. However, some of her best-performing works have been with Newton-John. She also once shared that she loved working with her beloved mother.
