Olivia Newton-John never 'found peace' following the unsolved disappearance of her former partner, Patrick McDermott.
Olivia, who sadly passed away on Monday 8 August, at the age of 73, had been in an on-off relationship with Patrick for nine years, after the star split from her first husband Matt Lattanzi.
But in 2005, while on an overnight fishing trip, Patrick completely vanished, and his disappearance has remained a mystery to this day.
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Patrick had been joined on the trip by 22 other people, setting off from San Pedro Marina on 30 June 2005. But he'd vanished before the boat had returned, without anyone noticing he was missing. It was a week later before someone finally realised and his car keys, passport and wallet were found onboard the boat.
Despite manhunts and private investigations, Patrick has never been found, and in 2008, a US Coast Guard investigation determined that he had 'most likely' drowned.
However, one theory was discussed a year later in 2009, when investigators on Dateline NBC suggested his disappearance was linked to avoiding debts.
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The uncertainty over what happened to Patrick is something Olivia said she would never be at peace with. In an interview in 2009, she said: “I don't think I will ever really be at peace with it. I think there will always be a question mark.”
Meanwhile, seven years later in 2016, she added: “It’s human to wonder but, you know, those are the things in life you have to accept and let go. Because whenever you go through difficult times, there’s always those concerns.
“But I live on and of course questions come up, always – it’s human.”
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Since Patrick's disappearance, there have been some incidents of people claiming to have seen him, but nothing has amounted to anything for certain.
Olivia went on to find love with her husband, John Easterling. The pair were married in 2008, with Olivia telling People in 2016: "I dated a little bit, but I wasn't expecting to fall in love with him and then bam!"
John announced the news that Olivia had passed away on her social media pages on Monday.
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He 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 triumph 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-based medicine and cancer.
"In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be made in her memory to the @onjfoundation."
Lucy Devine