Stars and family say final goodbyes to legend Olivia Newton-John at heartbreaking memorial
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: A host of celebrities and dignitaries gathered to pay tribute to late star Olivia Newton-John at an emotional state memorial service at Hamer Hall in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday, February 25. Newton-John, who delivered a string of chartbuster songs and starred in blockbusters including 'Grease' and 'Xanadu', died at the age of 73 in August 2022.
The service, held six months after Newton-John’s tragic death, elicited an avalanche of warm words from many A-list stars including Elton John, Hugh Jackman, Dolly Parton, Pink, Barry Gibb, and Mariah Carey. Several Newton-John family members also paid moving tributes, with her husband, John Easterling recalling their romance. Describing the late singer as a "healer," the businessman, who was by Olivia’s side when she died, said, “You have to understand, I wasn’t an Olivia fan, I didn’t know any Olivia music, I’d never even seen Grease,” Guardian reported.
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“But at this small theatre in Miami, she started singing Pearls on a Chain, and there was this healing moving through the audience. And it hit me like a laser beam in the chest, that Olivia was a healer, and this was one of her mediums of healing.” He continued. “We’d each had some hard times in our life before as everyone has. And we were just talking about how lucky we were, to have found each other, and how in love we were, and how much happiness we were experiencing.”
A 'little girl lost without her mother'
The 'Let Me Be There' singer’s only daughter, Chloe Lattanzi also remembered the late star in an emotional speech. “We loved watching our trashy TV shows together and immediately changed the channel when John walked into the room. We pretended we were watching educational shows about plant medicine,” she remembered.
Lattanzi then admitted that even after six months, she still feels like a "little girl lost without her mother." "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," Lattanzi said according to DailyMail. "She was my safe space, my guide, my biggest fan, and the Earth beneath my feet. I know she is here standing beside me and within me. I can hear her voice."
'Wonderful force of nature'
A slew of stars also paid homage to the ‘Magic’ singer via video link. Sir Elton John remembered Newton-John as a “wonderful force of nature” who was “funny, kind, warm and talented.” “Every time we got together we laughed and laughed and laughed. Throughout her career, I have watched her grow and grow and grow to be the artist she became,” he said.
The country star Dolly Parton later admitted that she "honestly loves" Newton-John and thanked her for “shining the light”. “As a country, you should be very proud and know that the whole world mourns with you. Now, I had the honor of singing with her several times. I considered her a great friend as well as a fellow entertainer. Olivia, to quote one of your songs, “I honestly love you,” she said.
‘'I just want to give thanks for a moment here’
Mariah Carey, 53, called herself a "friend and fan" of the late singer and remembered how she affected her life. "I just want to give thanks for a moment here. She really affected my life. As a little girl, I loved her so much growing up. Grease was probably the first movie I ever saw," the American pop superstar said. "And then I got to meet her later and we performed together. I looked up to her so much and I loved her songs. When I got to meet her she was just as nice as she was a star and talented, and I know she went through so much."
Elsewhere, American pop star Pink, 43, called Olivia “one of the kindest most present just light-filled beings.” 'She always had a smile on her face to give you, and her career was incredible, 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," he said.