Just days before her death, Olivia Newton-John uploaded a sweet snapshot of herself snuggling up to her devoted husband John Easterling, reports Mirror. Olivia, the Grease star, died peacefully at the age of 73 after a long struggle with breast cancer, surrounded by her family at her ranch in Southern California.
Just two days before the icon’s unfortunate death, she had shared a nostalgic photo of herself with her husband on her Instagram page. Captioned “Verified #flashbackfriday ❤️,” in the image Olivia is dressed in a white, green, and pink flower printed shirt and blue denim trousers. Olivia is leaning against Easterling as he gently embraces her. Both of them are smiling and looking at a distance away from the camera.
Olivia was first married to Matt Lattanzi in 1984 for 10 years with whom she has a daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, per PEOPLE. After their divorce, Olivia dated Patrick McDermott before he mysteriously went missing during a boat trip in 2005.
Olivia and Easterling met through a friend in the early 1990s but didn’t start dating until 15 years later after her ex-partner McDermott went missing. Speaking about how the entire event was a traumatic ordeal for her, Olivia said, “One of the hardest things is not knowing.” Recognizing that Easterling helped her to move on from it, she added, “I’m very lucky I have a wonderful, beautiful husband who is just so loving and fantastic. I always tell my friends you’re never too old to find love. I found the love of my life at 59 going on 60! I’m grateful.”
The couple got married in 2008 in Peru and kept their wedding a secret from everyone except Olivia’s daughter. “It was the one thing I could keep private,” she told PEOPLE at the time. “That’s how we wanted it because my life is so public.”
Easterling, a natural-health businessman, shared Olivia’s interest in spirituality and holistic remedies. He used medical cannabis he produced himself to assist Olivia in managing her cancer symptoms. “My husband hands me all these herbs every morning and makes me a green algae drink,” she told PEOPLE. “He grows the plants and makes them into liquid for me. I take drops maybe four to five times a day.”
She also mentioned how much she enjoys taking time off and spending time with her family. “I’ve been working my whole life. Now, I’m getting up in the morning, feeding my cat and my dog and my husband, usually in that order. Just enjoying being a housewife.”
Olivia’s husband delivered the devastating news of her death in a message on her social media accounts. John shared a photo of a smiling Olivia to announce her death. The picture was posted on all her social media feeds, including her Instagram, with the caption: “Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
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 Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund.