Kelly Preston, who died at age 57, was a much-loved member of the Travolta family. Her demise came 11 years after their son Jett died unexpectedly.
Preston and John Travolta’s first child, Jett, died in 2009 at the age of 16 after having a seizure and smashing his head in a bathtub in their Grand Bahama Island vacation home. Jett was their first and only child together. Preston passed away on Sunday after a two-year secret battle with breast cancer.
Even though Travolta, 66, and Preston have decided to keep their loss private, the couple has spoken out about their autistic son on several occasions and has celebrated his birthday with touching tributes on social media. Preston paid tribute to her beloved son the next year by posting a rare photo of herself, John Travolta, and Jett on Instagram.
In addition to increasing awareness for those impacted by autism through the posting of the images, the actress also raised awareness for those who comment, “I am thinking about and sending loads of love to all of the great people whose lives are touched by autistic children. May we all shine, and may children with unique needs be showered with love and respect,” along with recognizing April as Autism Awareness Month and using the hashtag.
“To Jett, the man of my dreams… You will always hold a special place in our hearts,” Preston said in the caption.
Preston and Travolta are also the parents of Ella, who is now 20 years old, and Benjamin, who is nine years old.
Furthermore, the late actress revealed her troubles while appearing on an episode of The Doctors in November 2012.
“Jett was diagnosed as autistic. He had epileptic fits and was diagnosed with Kawasaki syndrome when he was a child.” This was Preston’s statement at the time.
Kawasaki Syndrome is a severe illness marked by a high temperature that causes inflammation in blood vessels throughout the body. Infants and young children are especially vulnerable.
In a September 2016 interview with Good Morning America, John Travolta claimed that the birth of their second son, which came after the death of their first kid, was critical in keeping the family unit together.
“Having little Ben has been a beautiful form of glue for us to rebuild after a huge sorrow,” he says.
After three years of trying, the couple eventually conceived Ben. In an interview in 2011, John Travolta stated that his son “has given the house a revived energy and purpose.”
