Olivia Newton-John died on Monday and her devoted husband has revealed the actress wanted fans to donate to her charity rather than buy flowers in her memory.
The star, best known for her starring role in Grease, passed away at the age of 73 surrounded by family and friends after battling breast cancer for 30 years. And in the sad statement announcing her death, her husband John Easterling told fans the star's final request was for donations to be made to the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, "in lieu of flowers".
The foundation uses its funds to further delve into research for plant-based medicine and holistic treatments for cancer.
In the statement, John said: "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 (ONJFoundationFund.org)."
While the actress' Instagram page is full of throwback snaps, she shared a rare snap of herself in April which is thought to be her last pic she shared. It shows the star standing in her garden with a beaming smile with an array of sunflowers surrounding her.
Her caption read: "Wishing everyone a Happy Easter on this beautiful Spring day! #happyeaster." A number of her 627k followers took to the post to send their own messages of positivity, before fans once again flocked to it following the news of her death.
One user wrote following the sad news: "The world is heart-broken to have lost you Olivia....that honey sweet voice, that girl-next-door innocence, the fun Sandy from Grease, that tender-hearted soul who devoted herself to finding new treatments for the same breast cancer you so courageously stood strong against...your humanity was outstanding....you were so many things to this world...you leave a beautiful legacy Dame Olivia Newton-John...you were awe-inspiring and may your 73+ years here remain a light for all of us to follow...."
Another added: " She just seemed joyful and real Heaven has another angel." The sweet tributes come after many stars from across the globe penned their own emotional messages.
Among those releasing comments were her former Grease stars. John Travolta said: "My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better. Your impact was incredible.
"I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John!"
And Didi Conn, who played Frenchie in the film, said: "She was such a humungous, big, big pop star and her persona was of this beauty and well, let’s just say it, pure and sweet and in the movie we would call her Miss goody two shoes, you know. But simmering under that façade of innocence was a hot mama ready to come out…
"She loved it and we all loved it, nobody recognised her. She tried on that costume the night we were filming at the drive-in, and nobody recognised her, all of a sudden, in these high red pumps and this tight outfit and big hair, and it was Olivia and she loved it… and we all loved her.
"And she’s very special in my heart in many, many ways.”
