Olivia's Lost Lover
Olivia Newton-John's partner of nine years Patrick McDermott has disappeared without a trace, leaving loved ones fearing for his life
Unlucky superstar Olivia Newton-John has been devastated by yet another tragedy -the mysterious disappearance of her long-time lover, 48-year-old Patrick McDermott.
The handsome film gaffer, who has shared Olivia’s very private life for the past nine years, was reported missing after failing to return from an overnight fishing trip in California on June 30.
Distraught family and friends, including the evergreen Aussie singer and actress, are struggling to remain optimistic -but hopes are fading seven weeks later, with US Coast Guard investigators confessing they have few clues.
The alarm was first raised after Patrick missed a long-planned family event on July 6. His fishing rods and tackle box. together with a number of other personal possessions, were later found on board the charter boat involved, which has not been named.
That was disturbing enough. But fears for Patrick’s welfare intensified after his car was discovered on July 11, abandoned in a parking lot at the 22nd Street Marina in San Pedro, where he’d embarked on the ill-starred trip.
Olivia, who has overcome so many set-backs throughout her long career, is said to be in agony. Visiting Australia with daughter Chloe Lattanzi when Patrick vanished, she immediately jetted back to the home they shared in Los Angeles - praying that her boyfriend would soon turn up safely.
“Of course Olivia was hoping there had been some mistake and that Patrick would be found,” a close friend of the Grease star told Woman’s Day. “But as time progressed and his car was discovered, the mystery only deepened and it appeared there was no misunderstanding.”
“Obviously, Olivia has had a very difficult few weeks. She’s been trying to keep the lid on her emotions, but she’s frantic with worry.”
It’s the latest of many heartbreaks to beset the much-loved performer, who turns 57 in September. Crushingly, Olivia was diagnosed with breast cancer on July 3, 1992, the same day her professor father died, but fought her way back to radiant health through a partial mastectomy, painful chemotherapy and alternative medical treatments.
She’s also been forced to confront the breakdown of her 11-year marriage to bit-part actor Matt Lattanzi, life as a single parent, the collapse of her Koala Blue business empire, the loss of her leukaemia-stricken god-daughter and, most recently, her adored mother Irene’s death.
'Olivia has been trying to keep the lid on her emotions, but she's frantic with worry'
But for the past nine years - since they met on the set of a commercial in which Olivia was appearing - reliable, US-born Patrick has been her rock.
The star’s first impression was that the eight-years-younger cameraman and electrician was “gorgeous”. Later, although fiercely protective of her personal life, she added, “He’s the most romantic person I’ve ever met.”
For his part, steadfast Patrick told friends, “Once we made true eye contact, we were locked as if we had known each other for years in past lives.”
Asked in a recent interview whether she still loved her partner, the girl-next-door singer simply replied, “Of course, but that’s very private.”
Careful to keep their relationship out of the spotlight, the nature-loving couple were last seen together in public at the annual Australia Day ball in Los Angeles.
Now Patrick has seemingly vanished without a trace, Coast Guard investigator Dennis Nebrich confirms, “We are treating this as a Missing Person’s investigation and nothing other than that, at this time.”
“No-one has seen Mr McDermott since June 30 and no-one has called us to say he’s back, but we are hoping he will eventually show up.”
“This is an ongoing investigation and all we can reveal is that the fishing vessel left on June 30, came back on July 1, and on July 11, Mr McDermott’s car was found in the parking lot.”
“On board the vessel, he had left personal items including a tackle box and fishing poles.”
Puzzled, anxious and grief-stricken, Olivia is in shock. “She and Patrick always enjoyed a very intense and committed relationship,” according to a friend. “They were immediately attracted to each other from the beginning. You could say it was love at first sight. It was really that instant and the connection between the two of them has only strengthened over the years.”
“They have never married because they never felt this was something they had to do to remain close. They have deliberately chosen to keep their relationship very much out of the public eye. They are a very private couple and enjoyed stolen moments between their busy schedules, when they could be romantic together.”
“Their priority has always been the welfare of their respective children. But on top of that, they have always managed to build and sustain what became a true union what you can only call a true partnership.”
Today, Olivia’s devoted family and friends feel helpless. They can only dream, against all the evidence, that this story will still have a happy ending.
Story: Jenny Brown