Oliver Tree's mother, Christine Begin Nickell, recounted her last exchange with the singer at a memorial service in his hometown of Santa Cruz, California, on July 25 — revealing a conversation that ended with a FaceTime call and a face full of cigarette smoke.

Tree, born Oliver Tree Nickell, died on June 14 at age 32 in a collision involving two helicopters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Six people were killed in the crash, according to People magazine. His body was later repatriated to California, with the news confirmed through his social media accounts on a Sunday afternoon, NBC News reported.

The day before he died, Nickell texted Tree to ask how his effort to quit smoking was going — he had promised to stop once his tour began. Tree FaceTimed her immediately and blew cigarette smoke into the camera. Nickell shared the story at the memorial, which was called a "Celebration of Life" and held at Santa Cruz's Quarry Amphitheater, according to Billboard.

On that final day, Tree told his family he planned to take a helicopter ride the next morning to a mountaintop house, where he would make TikToks and music with friends. Nickell said he was "so happy and excited about life" and that he "loved having epic days."

She described her son as a "sweet and mischievous child" and a "bolter" — always eager to run, explore and never look back. She also recalled his rules for previewing new music: the family was required to sit in complete silence, with no phones, no talking and no distractions. Anyone who broke the rule faced "the wrath of Oliver."

The memorial matched the theatrical, absurd-comic style Tree built his career on. Three mannequins were laid out in coffins, dressed in his signature look: brightly coloured windbreakers, sunglasses, bowl haircut and cowboy hats. The event opened with a video message from Ron Johnson Van Swanson, the fictional president of Alien Boy Records — the independent label Tree recorded under.

Diplo and Logan Paul were among the friends who paid tribute at the service. Diplo called Tree the coolest person he had ever met, Billboard reported. The memorial was livestreamed on July 25.

All proceeds from the event went to Dr. Oliver Tree's Extremely Epic Grant for Baby Geniuses, a foundation launched by the singer's estate.

An official statement posted after his death carried the phrase, "Your legacy will live on forever," KS95 reported. The Santa Cruz Sentinel, People and Page Six all covered the memorial service on July 27 and 28.

For a performer who turned every music video and public appearance into a staged spectacle, the memorial carried his style to its conclusion — windbreakers, cowboy hats and all.