John Easterling, the husband of the late Olivia Newton-John, is still struggling to make sense of the late actor and singer’s death this week, but is thankful for all the time and love they got to share with one another.
In an emotional Instagram post shared two days after the singer died following a 30-year battle with breast cancer, the film producer praised his longtime love and the special moments they spent together. “Olivia, our love for each other transcends our understanding,” he wrote in the social media tribute. “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 awe of this great mystery and accepted the experience of our love as past, present and forever.” The couple got married in 2008, almost a decade before Newton-John discovered that her breast cancer has returned and metastasized to her sacrum
He then went on to praise the musician’s “essence,” calling his late wife a “healer” who used her words and music to spread her message of love. “She was the most courageous woman I’ve ever known,” Easterling wrote. “Her bandwidth for genuinely caring for people, for nature and all creatures almost eclipses what is humanely possible. It is only the grace of God that has allowed me to share the depth and passion of her being for so long. In her most difficult times she always had the spirit, the humor, and the will power to move things into the light.” He concluded by thanking everyone for the “vast ocean of love and support that has come our way,” adding, “Even now as her soul soars, the pain and holes in my heart are healed with the joy of her love and the light that shines forward.” Three days prior to her death, it was clear that her relationship with Easterling was also foremost in Newton-John’s mind as the Grease star shared a sweet photo of the two of them cuddled up together, captioned simply, “#flashbackfriday,” with a red heart emoji.
In a statement posted to her Facebook page on Monday, the singer’s team wrote, “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. 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.” Newton-John is survived by Easterling, her daughter Chloe Lattanzi, sister Sarah Newton-John, brother Toby Newton-John and several other family members.