On Air Now
Early Breakfast with Gary King 4am - 6am
John Travolta shares moving tribute to late son Jett on his 29th birthday
14 April 2021, 12:44
The Hollywood star shared a heart-rending tribute to his eldest son, who died at the age of 16 in 2009.
John Travolta has shared a personal tribute to his late son Jett on social media, to mark what would have been his 29th birthday.
The Grease actor posted a black and white photo of the two of them to Instagram yesterday (April 13), with the caption: "Happy birthday my beautiful Jetty. I love you."
Jett Travolta died in 2009 when he was just 16 years old, after suffering a seizure and hitting his head on a bathtub.
He was the oldest of Travolta's children. The actor also has a daughter, 21-year-old Ella Bleu, and a son, 10-year-old Benjamin, who was born after Jett's death.
Read more: John Travolta recreates iconic 'Grease' dance with daughter Ella, in sweet father-daughter moment
Jett had a history of seizures from the age of two, and had been hospitalised at 15 months old with Kawasaki disease, a disease that causes the swelling of blood vessels in the body.
He was also on the autism spectrum, The Sun reports.
Read more: The fascinating true story behind Princess Diana and John Travolta's infamous dance
In 2009, the Jett Travolta Foundation was founded, a charity which helps children with "vision, hearing, mobility, communication, behaviour learning impairments or other special medical, environmental, health or educational needs".
Just last year, John lost his wife Kelly Preston, following her two-year battle with breast cancer.
The actress was 57 when she died, and the couple had been married for nearly 30 years.
Read more: Olivia Newton-John pays moving tribute to John Travolta’s late wife Kelly Preston
"She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many," Travolta wrote on Instagram.
"My family and I will forever be grateful to her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, all the medical centers that have helped, as well as her many friends and loved ones who have been by her side."
He continued: "Kelly's love and life will always be remembered."
