Olivia Newton-John state memorial: John Easterling’s shattering tribute to late wife
Olivia Newton-John’s husband, John Easterling shared an emotional tribute to the late singer, describing their 14-year marriage as “a bit of magic”.
Olivia Newton-John’s husband, John Easterling has shared an emotional tribute to the late singer, giving a rare insight into their marriage. Easterling led a lengthy list of heartwarming tributes from celebrities and family, including her daughter Chloe Lattanzi.
The businessman said that despite not being familiar with her music when they first met, he described the late singer as a “healer,” and describe her ability to perform as a “piece of magic”.
Easterling’s voice began breaking while talking about their life “supernatural” together.
“Every day with Olivia was a bit of magic,” he said.
“She said to me ‘John, when you are lucky enough to find your true soulmate and you share a heart, and one passes, the other has the obligation to live life for both.’”
“We were talking about how lucky we were to have found each other and how in love we were. And how much happiness we were experiencing.”
Easterling, who married Newton-John in 2008, also said he believed he felt the singer’s spirit in the days after her death.
“A couple of nights after Olivia passed, I was lying in bed and I felt her hand over my diaphragm lifting out and I started breathing again,” he said.
“Every day we expressed our gratitude for this love that could be so deep, so real, so natural. “We never had to work on it. We were in all this great mystery, and just accepted the experience of our love is past, present and forever.”
He also spoke about Newton-John’s love of animals.
“True to form Olivia rescued a newborn kitten who had been abandoned to the elements on the Great Wall of China. She carried that kitten for a couple of weeks in her waistband,” he said.
“What made her most happy was being at ranch and being with the horses and being with the chickens and dogs or the cats or sitting in the courtyard just listening to bird songs.”
Chloe Lattanzi: ‘I know she is here’
Newton-John’s daughter, Chloe Lattanzi described her mother’s sense of humour, love of nature, and her ability to “find the beauty in everything”.
The 37-year-old said she was shattered by her mum’s death, however believed her mother was “standing beside me and within me”.
“I stand here before you so desperately wanting to feel strong and confident and speak eloquently. But the truth is, I feel like a little girl lost without her mother,” she said.
“I can hear her voice. ‘You are safe, my darling. Don’t be afraid. You are so much stronger than you think. Speak from your heart. That’s all you have to do’”.
Lattanzi shared her favourite memories of her mother with mourners, and described her as someone who “loved fully and completely”.
“My favourite thing to do was watch her watching the birds and the flowers. Smelling her roses and the joy it brought to her roses and the joy it brought to her face was a thing of beauty,” said Lattanzi.
“I loved making her tea and then making it five times again until I got it right. I loved our snuggles. I would crawl into bed with her late at night even until I was 20 years old. I loved the way that she smelled. Nothing felt safer.”
Delta celebrates Grease star with smash medley
Ending the ceremony, Delta Goodrem sang a medley of some of Newton-John’s most well-known songs.
Her set began with an instrumental version of ‘Physical’, before singing ‘Xanadu’, ‘You’re the One that I Want’ and’ Let Me Be There’. She then sang one of Newton-John’s most iconic songs and Grammy-nominated Grease hit, ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ before finishing with ‘I Honestly Love You’.
Speaking to Channel 7 before the memorial, singer Delta Goodrem described Newton-John as a mentor and friend.
“It is beautiful to see everybody coming out,” she said.
“(I’m) so happy to see everybody coming together on a day to celebrate someone who touched all our lives. I think that is really what it is.
“Seeing everybody just come together and being able to honour and celebrate Olivia is incredibly special.”
Dolly, Kidman, Mariah share tributes to Newton-John
Celebrities also gathered at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall to farewell legendary singer, Olivia-Newton-John at her State Memorial Service.
In attendance is singer Kate Ceberano, Molly Meldrum, Delta Goodrem, Magda Szubanski, Dannii Minogue, Human Nature’s Phil Burton and Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, as well as Newton-John’s husband, John Easterling and daughter Chloe Lattanzi.
High-profile stars including Mariah Carey, Hugh Jackman, Keith Urban, Cliff Richards, Pink, Nicole Kidman and Dolly Parton also appeared on video link.
“The we all lost one of the greatest talents when Olivia lift us. I know it is especially painful for all the folks there in Australia as she is one of your own,” said Parton.
“I had the honour of singing with her several times. I considered her a great friend as well as a fellow entertainer.”
Singer Pink described Newton-John as an “absolute angel”.
“She was one of the kindest, most present just light-filled beings walking around this Earth. She always had a smile on her face to give you,” she said.
“But she will be very missed and my heart is with her family. I know this is an awful time and I hope that they find some comfort in just how universally loved she was.”
A “friend and fan” of the Xanadu star said she looked up to Newtown-John while growing up and said Grease was one of the first movies she ever saw.
“Then I got to meet her later when she came and we performed together. I looked up to her so much,” said Carey.
“She was just as nice as she was a star and talented.
“And her humanitarian work, I just want to say that and say that not everybody does that.”
The Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Andrew Giles is in attendance, representing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was unable to attend due to commitments in Sydney.
Minogue credited Newton-John as a key inspiration for her career.
“It’s Olivia’s is so important to me. She is literally the reason why I started performing and I was lucky enough to tell her that the first time that we met. She is a great friend of mine,” she told Channel 7.
On Sunday afternoon, Minogue shared a photo of herself with the Grease star and fellow singer Tottie Goldsmith, with a touching tribute to the late actress.
“I perform because of one person, Olivia Newton-John. She has had me transfixed since I saw her as Sandy in Grease,” she said.
“I have had the most incredible moments with her and the beautiful Tottie Goldsmith, who has the same sparkle and shine.”
Mourners have been asked to wear “a touch of orange” in a tribute to the singer’s favourite colour, with an orange red carpet rolled out for the service.
The revered singer and actress died in August 2022 after a publicly documented battle with breast cancer.
The 73-year-old will be farewelled by the Australian public on Sunday afternoon in Melbourne, with the service to be streamed for those who aren’t able to attend in person.
Channel 7 will also broadcast the memorial from 3.30pm AEDT, hosted by 7 News Melbourne presenters Mike Amor and Rebecca Maddern.
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