Olivia gained fame in the last weeks of her 16-year-long life when a Katy Perry song she recorded in a Toronto studio in September became a viral hit online.
"She died peacefully in her home surrounded by the extraordinary love of her family," a family statement sent to CNN said.
The teenager said that she didn't want people crying at her funeral, but that they should celebrate her life, her mother wrote in a letter to CNN.
Her version of Perry's hit "Roar," which she recorded in September after learning there were no more treatments available, drew the attention of Perry after it was published on YouTube in October.
"I was very moved and you sounded great," Perry told her in a video posted on YouTube. "I love you. A lot of people love you and that's why your video got to me. It moved everybody that saw it."
Perry concluded with: "Keep roaring!"
The international attention drew more than a million viewers to Olivia's song and helped raise $77,000 for the Liv Wise Fund that was started in her name in support of brain tumor research.
Response:
I'm usually not the type to get emotional over things, but this story and video brought me to tears. I mean, she was only 16... That's so unbelievably young! It's scary to think about how things like that could happen to any one of us at any moment. I love the "overcoming an illness" tale, but this just did me in. Not only was she so young, and facing such an overbearing sickness, but she faced it with a smile on her face. I know that if I was in her position I don't think if be as happy as she was.
Not to mention in her short life, she raised so much money for brain cancer research.
This holiday session, I will not only be thankful for my health, but the health of those around me.
"She died peacefully in her home surrounded by the extraordinary love of her family," a family statement sent to CNN said.
The teenager said that she didn't want people crying at her funeral, but that they should celebrate her life, her mother wrote in a letter to CNN.
Her version of Perry's hit "Roar," which she recorded in September after learning there were no more treatments available, drew the attention of Perry after it was published on YouTube in October.
"I was very moved and you sounded great," Perry told her in a video posted on YouTube. "I love you. A lot of people love you and that's why your video got to me. It moved everybody that saw it."
Perry concluded with: "Keep roaring!"
The international attention drew more than a million viewers to Olivia's song and helped raise $77,000 for the Liv Wise Fund that was started in her name in support of brain tumor research.
Response:
I'm usually not the type to get emotional over things, but this story and video brought me to tears. I mean, she was only 16... That's so unbelievably young! It's scary to think about how things like that could happen to any one of us at any moment. I love the "overcoming an illness" tale, but this just did me in. Not only was she so young, and facing such an overbearing sickness, but she faced it with a smile on her face. I know that if I was in her position I don't think if be as happy as she was.
Not to mention in her short life, she raised so much money for brain cancer research.
This holiday session, I will not only be thankful for my health, but the health of those around me.
Its horrific to think that you can die so young, but the power of the internet allowed Olivia to touch the lives of so many people, even her inspiration. This is so heartwarming, i know Olivia is roaring still. RIP
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