Olivia Newton-John‘s daughter Chloe Lattanzi has opened up about her final moments with her late mother for the first time.
Speaking on the Today show in the United States, an emotional Lattanzi, 37, revealed the Grease star’s final words to her were: “My sunshine.”
”Right before she lost her ability to speak, she was making jokes,” Lattanzi told the program in a sit-down interview.
Watch the video above.
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In August 2022, Newton-John died age 73 following a long battle with breast cancer. In the months since, Lattanzi says her mother’s fans have offered a “life raft” of support.
“It has felt like a big hug from the universe,” says. “I’m very grateful for all of the people who reached out to us and extended their heart and their connection.”
But while the actress might be a global star to her fans, Lattanzi says that’s not the case for her personally.
“I love my mum more than anything,” Lattanzi says. “She’s my mama, you know? She’s not Olivia Newton-John to me, but I’m so glad that she was Olivia Newton-John for so many people.”
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Lattanzi’s interview with Today‘s Hoda Kotb marks the first time she’s spoken about her mother’s death in-depth to the media, but she has honoured her mum multiple times on Instagram.
In November 2022, Lattanzi told her 141,000 followers that her late mum is “guiding” her.
“You walk with me now. Every step I take. Every move I make,” she wrote alongside a shot of Newton-John performing. “I love you soulmate.”
Lattanzi was born in 1986 to Newton-John and her then-husband Matt Lattanzi. In 2008, Newton-John married her husband John Easterling, who also spoke with Today about his late wife.
Joining his step-daughter in the interview, the 70-year-old businessman says he misses the “extraordinary” Newton-John “terribly”.
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He also opened up about a piece of “empowering” advice he recently received, which told him of his “obligation to live life” for both himself and Newton-John in the wake of her passing.
Easterling says he still speaks to Newton-John “late at night [and] early in the morning,” saying, ”I’ll just be walking around the house, or throwing the ball for the dogs and just speak to her.”
Lattanzi and Easterling’s interview comes as a duet of Jolene recorded by Newton-John and her long-time friend Dolly Parton months before her death was released.
“I’m excited,” Newton-John says in the YouTube video of the song. “I’ve always wanted to sing with Dolly.”
On Sunday February 26 from 4pm, the state memorial service for Newton-John will be held at Hamer Hall in Melbourne’s arts precinct.
Newton-John’s family, friends and fans will be able to farewell the Australian icon in the two-hour service, which will air on Channel 9.
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