John Travolta has paid tribute to his son, Jett, on what would have been his 32nd birthday. Returning to Instagram on Saturday, the actor posted a rare family photo alongside his late wife, Kelly Preston, and their beloved son. “Happy birthday my Jetty - not a day goes by where you’re not with me!” he penned in the caption.
Shortly after posting, John, 70, was inundated with support. “Always in your heart forever and ever. And [you] will see him and her again!!!” replied actress Kristin Chenoweth. “Will never forget him. Or Kelly,” commented the star’s good friend, Rita Wilson.
© Tim BoylesIt was in 2009 that Jett Travolta tragically passed away at the age of 16. The teenager, who had been on vacation with his family in the Bahamas, died after experiencing a seizure. Jett had a history of seizures from the age of two and had to be hospitalised at 15 months with Kawasaki disease. He was also on the autistic spectrum.
Eleven years after his son’s passing, John would later announce the loss of his wife, Kelly, who passed away aged 57 after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis.
© ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULATConfirming the news in 2020 via an official statement on Instagram, the A-lister wrote: "It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer. She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many.”
John continued: “Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered. I will be taking some time to be there for my children who have lost their mother, so forgive me in advance if you don’t hear from us for a while. But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal.”
John and his children – daughter Ella, 24, and son, Benjamin, 13 – have been incredibly strong following the heartache in their lives.
Speaking to Esquire in 2021, John explained that his primary focus will always be his kids. “I will ensure the future of my children, help them with what they want to do with their lives,” he said. “It is what I do with Ella now with her films and teaching her to work in the profession. Ben is barely ten years-old. I want to help him evolve because he has his whole life ahead of him.”
© GettyAs of 2024, Ella – who has appeared in Gotti and Eye for an Eye – has turned her attention to music, and her father has been her number one supporter. "He's really proud, which makes me very happy," the singer told People in 2023, following the release of her tracks ‘Dizzy’ and ‘No Thank You’.
Meanwhile, Benjamin has been progressing on the slopes and is a keen skier. Sharing a video from the teen’s training session in March, John noted: I’m so proud of my son Ben’s progress!! First clip is the steepest run in Snowmass!”
