How Did Olivia Newton-John Die? Cause of Death Revealed

It wasn’t that long ago that Oliva Newton-John died, but you might not have heard an update as to what happened to her. If you’ve been looking for details on what happened to her, then read below as we get into the official cause of death.

What Caused Olivia Newton-John’s Death?

Newton-John passed away after a battle with stage IV breast cancer, which had been an ongoing battle for several years. 

At What Age Did Olivia Newton-John Die?

She died on August 8, 2022, which means she was 73 years old when she passed away

Where Did Olivia Newton-John Grow Up?

Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England, on September 26, 1948, but moved to Melbourne, Australia, when she was just five years old. It was when she moved to Australia that she began to get into music, including learning how to play the piano.

Where Did Olivia Newton-John Die?

August 10, 2017 – Olivia Newton-John at Viña 2017. Image source: FESTIVALDEVINACHILE, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

She died at her home surrounded by her loved ones in Santa Ynez Valley, California. 

Was Oliva Newton-John Married When She Died? 

October 2, 2010 – Olivia Newton-John and John Easterling at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences on Pink Ribbon Day in Budapest, Hungary. Image source: Livvyfan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

She was married to her second husband, John Easterling, whom she had been married to since 2008, when she died. 

What Kind of Cancer Did She Have?

Newton-John had battled breast cancer for years, with the first time being in 1992 at the age of 43. At that time, she chose to undergo a partial mastectomy, which is when the breast tissue is removed from the location of the cancer and its surrounding area. She then had reconstructive surgery to make her breasts look as they should. What’s sad about her 1992 breast cancer diagnosis was that it happened the same week that her dad died. 

She would once again battle breast cancer as it returned in 2013, and this diagnosis happened at the same time her older sister Rona died. While her cancer went into remission for a few years, it returned in 2017.

June 27, 2019 – Back pain caused by a compression of the sciatic nerve. Image source: www.scientificanimations.com/, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

She announced in May 2017 that not only did the cancer come back for a third time, but this time, it had already progressed to her spine. She had been dealing with back pain for a while, and it was initially believed to be sciatica, but sadly, the cancer also had moved into her bones and became stage IV. 

She became a spokeswoman for medical marijuana and advocated for it since she was using it to help her severe pain that occurred as a result of the cancer and lesions on her bones. She also used marijuana for sleep and anxiety. Chloe Lattanzi, her adult daughter, even got into the marijuana business and has a farm in Oregon to grow cannabis. Newton-John’s cancer battle continued from 2017 until her death on August 8, 2022, so she spent five years dealing with her third and terminal round of cancer. 

July 3, 2020 – Axillary Crutches. Image source: Jessica Fisher, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In an interview in 2020 with The Guardian, she talked about how for a while in 2018, she lost the ability to walk because of the cancer moving into her spine to the point it fractured her spine. She mentioned how she had to use crutches, a walker, and a cane for a long time before she regained her ability to walk. However, she remained strong and steadfast in keeping a positive attitude and talking about how singing was a huge part of her recovery and important for her mental health. 

What Treatment Did Olivia Newton-John Receive For Her Cancer?

October 18, 2018 – Radiation therapy. Image source: Jakembradford, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When Newton-John was diagnosed with cancer throughout her life, she tried several different treatments to get rid of it, including her mastectomy and surgery to remove the cancerous tissue. She also had tried chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and radiation to stop the cancer from progressing or returning.

Not only that, but she decided to try marijuana to help with the pain and anxiety of cancer. She did not tell anyone which treatment options they should choose for their situation but did advocate for the use of marijuana to help those with pain and other medical issues. 

How Did We Learn Olivia Newton-John Died? 

Her husband, Easterling, posted a message on Facebook that she had passed away and asked that the family have privacy as they mourned her death. 

Did Olivia Newton-John Have a Funeral?

Newton-John did have a funeral in California, although it was private for only close friends and family members. 

Unknown – David Campbell in a recording studio. Image source: Brianwilsonisgod, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Additionally, there was a service held for her on February 26, 2023, at the Hammer Hall. This was located in Melbourne, Australia, and David Campbell was the host of this memorial. A lot of celebrities showed up with both Newton-John’s daughter and her husband offering eulogies for the beloved star. 

January 31, 2012 – Richard Wilkins at the AACTA Awards Sydney, Australia. Image source: Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Other notable attendees of this service included Elton John, Nicole Kidman, Barry Gibb, Mariah Carey, Dolly Parton, Richard Wilkins, and P!nk. Wilkins talked about how strong and optimistic she was while John talked about how kind, funny, and talented she was and how much they would laugh when they’d be together. Parton spoke fondly of her and talked about singing with her multiple times and how much of a great friend she was. 

Who Sang At Olivia Newton-John’s Memorial?

April 20, 2017 – Delta Goodrem at the launch of Delta in Sydney, Australia. Image source: Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Delta Goodrem sang at Newton-John’s memorial service that was held in Melbourne, Australia. She was friends with her in real life and even played her in the mini-series that aired in Australia based on her life called Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted To You. In Goodrem’s tribute to her friend, she sang a medley of Newton-John’s hit songs including I Honestly Love You.  

Why Didn’t John Travolta Travel To Olivia Newton-John’s Memorial?

GREASE | Trailer | Paramount Movies

John Travolta did not go to Newton-John’s service held in Australia and the reasoning behind it likely had to do with her husband, Easterling. Sources have said that there was tension between the two men because Travolta was very close to Newton-John and even said he loved her. This was not just an on-screen situation either as he loved her well after they appeared together in Grease, and the two were close friends for years

When Travolta posted a very loving tribute to her online in 2022, it could have been what led her husband to not want him there. Her husband hadn’t even had the time to post an online tribute to Newton-John, and there was Travolta posting this tribute for all to see, knowing that the public had always wanted them to get together, which likely led to some animosity.

August 25, 2019 – John Travolta being interviewed by Morgan Hoffman. Image source: GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

However, neither man has come out to say they had an issue with one another, so it’s hard to really say for sure whether the love Travolta had for Newton-John and his tribute played into him not being a part of the memorial service. 

Has John Travolta Said Anything About Olivia Newton-John?

In his social media post, Travolta posted a photo of Newton-John wearing a blue jean jacket and he wrote a caption under the photo to eulogize her. Posted just hours after she had passed away, he mentioned how much better everyone’s lives were with her in it and how much he loved her and talked about seeing her again and them being together once again.

May 31, 2010 – John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Image source: Blue_Angels_Newton-John_Travolta_cropped.jpg: PH3 CURT FARGOderivative work: Rambo’s Revenge (en.wiki), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

He also said that he was hers from the first moment he saw her and ended it with “Your Danny, your John.” Danny was the character he played in Grease alongside Newton-John’s character Sandy. 

What Was Olivia Newton-John Famous For?

Till You Say You'll Be Mine (Remastered 2022)

Newton-John was famous for not only singing but also acting, although her singing career started before her acting career. It was in 1966 when she released her first song called ‘Till You Say You’ll Be Mine, and five years later, she would release If Not For You, which was her first studio album. It hit 158 on the Billboard 200 album chart in 1971, and then she would release even more albums including Olivia, Let Me Be There, Long Live Love, and Have You Never Been Mellow. 

Olivia Newton-John - Have You Never Been Mellow

Have You Never Been Mellow was the album that brought her the most success, and it hit number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Some of the hit tracks from that album include Please Mr. Please and Have You Never Been Mellow.

Throughout her amazing career, she would release 26 albums including Physical in 1981, which gave us the hit song of the same name. It would become her signature track, and in the United States, the song has sold more than two million copies since it was released. It also made it to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and stayed there for 10 weeks! 

Newton-John also had an acting career, and her biggest role was in the 1978 movie Grease where she played Sandy Olsson alongside her co-star Travolta. It would be this movie that would bring them together and would be what started their long-time friendship.

Hopelessly Devoted To You (From “Grease”)

In Grease, she performed a track called Hopelessly Devoted To You, which is one of her most memorable and recognizable songs. She also starred in other movies such as Two Of A Kind and Xanadu, but Grease is the musical film everyone remembers. and it’s a beloved classic movie people of all ages can and do enjoy. 

Did Olivia Newton-John Want a Burial?

Newton-John did not want to be buried but chose to be cremated instead. Her family scattered her ashes in various locations where she had loved to be, such as her home in Santa Ynez and Byron Bay

Did Olivia Newton-John Have Any Last Words?

Newton-John’s daughter, Lattanzi, told Today in an interview about six months after her death that her last words to her daughter were “My Sunshine.” She didn’t say when these words were spoken, only that they were right before Newton-John had lost her ability to talk, so we imagine it was near the final week of her life.

November 24, 1978 – Olivia Newton-John at Schiphol. Image source: Bert Verhoeff for Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Lattanzi also disclosed that during this time, Newton-John was still in good spirits and was joking around with everyone, so she didn’t spend her last moments speaking about negative thoughts or situations and was the same bubbly and happy woman she’d always been known to be. 

What Was Olivia Newton-John’s Net Worth When She Died?

It’s believed that when she died, Newton-John had a net worth of around $60 million

Did Olivia Newton-John Leave an Inheritance?

Newton-John’s money and other assets will be divided among her husband Easterling and her adult child Lattanzi. However, we don’t know the details of her situation, so it’s not clear how her money and other assets will be split, but both Easterling and Lattanzi will split Newton-John’s fortune between the two of them. 

What Happens To Olivia Newton-John’s Music?

Olivia Newton-John - Physical (Official Music Video)

Newton-John partnered with Primary Wave Publishing in 2020, and it’s thought that the rights to her music now are solely with this publishing company. The deal gave them all of her catalog and all of the master songs such as Physical. 

At this time, it’s unclear whether anything will happen to her music or whether any more material will be released. Fans are hoping to one day hear unreleased demos or songs that she had worked on that never made it onto the albums, but so far, no one has said any of this material exists, or if it does, whether it’ll one day be released for all of us to enjoy. 

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