Was It All An Act? The Enigmatic Love Life of Olivia Newton-John ‘Lost at Sea’

The Enduring Mystery of Patrick McDermott

It is not three years since Olivia Newton-John passed and her ex-boyfriend Patrick McDermott still raises some questions. He was on a boat trip off the coast of California when he disappeared in 2005 and later he was declared dead. On Aug. 8, 2022, after fighting breast cancer for a long time, Newton-John died at 73. However, the media was more concerned with the disappearance of McDermott – and the unresolved doubts that he might have faked his disappearance instead of dying in the ocean.

Disappearance and Conflicting Theories

Patrick McDermott, at approximately 12 am on June 30, 2005, went fishing off the coast of Los Angeles. After the local police officers searched the area, they couldn’t locate him. As a result, on July 11, his ex-wife went to the police to report him missing, which later led to the release of a missing person notice, according to NBC News.
CBS News states that McDermott and Olivia Newton-John had an intermittent relationship for approximately nine years before he went missing. Newton-John, who was reportedly at a spa retreat in Australia when the incident occurred, refused to make any public comments regarding his location.
However a 2008 U.S. Coast Guard investigation found that “McDermott was lost at sea.” Nevertheless, the years of media coverage – particularly in the Australian press – have been a major factor in the persistence of the alternative theories that he may have staged his disappearance.

Theories of a Staged Disappearance

What followed, were media‑sponsored investigations, whose investigators brought forward the theory that McDermott had faked his death and had been residing in Mexico. In an interview with NBC News in 2005, Seven Network Australia reporter Louise Pennell mentioned that McDermott had a money-related problem situation that kept escalating and that his ex-wife, an actress, had a new alimony issue. According to Pennell, he had been speaking what he called a “dreadful financial situation” to the crew of The Freedom, the yacht from which he went missing, in his complaint.

Bankruptcy and Life After the Disappearance

According to court documents reported by CBS News, Patrick McDermott filed for bankruptcy in July 2000. To quote Seven Network’s Louise Pennell, the speculations had “no limits” as they questioned the motive behind McDermott’s vanishing either to cover up his financial problems or death by a third party but still “no one knows.”
While the rumors were still circulating, Olivia Newton‑John decided to carry on with her life and married John Easterling, a businessman, in 2008.

Finding Love After Heartache

During an interview with PEOPLE in October 2016, Olivia Newton-John shared the story of how she and John Easterling became a couple during their journey to the Amazon.
“I had a little bit of a dating life, but it was not something I was expecting to find love with him and then bam!” Newton-John related meeting Easterling a few years after McDermott’s disappearance. She also mentioned that Easterling supported her getting over the “traumatic” incident, which had included press reports claiming that McDermott was pretending to be dead and that he was in hiding in Mexico.

Renewed Claims and Olivia’s Reflections

The speculation continued to grow. Next, in 2016, Woman’s Day Australia reported that McDermott was spotted alive in Sayulita, Mexico, where he was said to be living with a German girlfriend. Philip Klein, an investigator, informed the magazine that in his opinion, McDermott disappeared to avoid paying his debts and to make it possible for his son to receive a $100,000 life insurance payout.”
As for Olivia Newton‑John, it not knowing was the most difficult thing. “One of the hardest things is not knowing,” she mentioned, and said that husband John Easterling supported her through the tough time. “I’m really lucky I have a great, lovely husband who is just so loving and great. I always say to my friends, you’re never too old to find love.”

Official Conclusion: Lost at Sea

In their 2009 press statement, the U.S. Coast Guard was quite clear that they “not actively looking into this case,” as they had already closed the file on Sept. 15, 2006. After a thorough search, the agency found no traces of “criminal action, suicide, accident or hoax” in Patrick McDermott’s disappearance.
Another marine safety investigation— a routine check in the case of a suspected death at sea— was wrapped up on Oct. 30, 2008, and the findings here were also negative of any wrongdoing. The release gave its final verdict: “Both investigations indicate that McDermott was lost at sea.”