Losing a spouse is really tough, especially when it happens at a relatively young age.
John Travolta and his family have had a difficult time in the past few years. In 2020, his wife and the mother of their children, Kelly Preston, passed away from breast cancer.
Since then, John has been doing his best to be a great father to their kids.
In 1992, after getting engaged at the Palace Hotel restaurant in Gstaad, Switzerland, the year before, John Travolta and Kelly Preston got married. Their secret ceremony took place on September 5, 1991, at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris.
Kelly, born on October 13, 1962, in Honolulu, Hawaii, also worked in the film industry, just like John. She studied acting at the University of Southern California and started her acting career in 1985. Kelly appeared in major movies such as Mischief, Twins, Jerry Maguire, and For Love of the Game.
Kelly Preston had some small roles on TV during her career. In 2018, she acted in the movie Gotti, which turned out to be her last film. Sadly, in July 2020, Kelly passed away after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
“On the morning of July 12, 2020, Kelly Preston, adored wife, and mother, passed away following a two-year battle with breast cancer,” a family representative told People at the time.
“She was a bright, beautiful, and loving soul who cared deeply about others and who brought life to everything she touched. Her family asks for your understanding of their need for privacy at this time.”
Kelly Preston kept her breast cancer diagnosis a secret. Her co-star in her final film, Off the Rails, Sally Phillips, revealed on the British talk show Loose Women that they didn’t know about it while filming. Sally explained that people often keep health issues private because of concerns about movie insurance and future work opportunities.
She mentioned, “That’s what people do—they go through it on their own because of worries about insurance for the film, and working again afterward.” Sally also pointed out other recent examples, like Chadwick Boseman and Helen McCrory, who also didn’t share their health challenges publicly.
John Travolta wrote on Instagram that Kelly fought bravely against her illness and had the love and support of many. He expressed gratitude to her doctors and nurses, the medical centers, and all their friends and loved ones who stood by her side. Travolta mentioned that Kelly’s love and life would always be remembered.
In the same post, he shared that he would be taking time to be with his family during the mourning process, especially his children, 22-year-old Ella and 11-year-old Ben. Jett, their first child together, passed away from a seizure at 16.
John Travolta and Kelly Preston were married for 19 years, and they had three children. It’s completely understandable that less than a year after her death, he wouldn’t be ready to move on so soon.
John Travolta is not ready to start dating again. Many friends have tried to set him up, and there are plenty of women interested in going out with him. However, John is not interested in dating at the moment. People around him understand that he’s dealing with mixed feelings about opening up to love again or staying single to be the best father he can be. For now, everyone is giving him the space he needs to figure things out.
While keeping a low profile, John Travolta talked about how he’s dealing with grief in an interview with Esquire Mexico.
“I’ve learned that mourning, grieving, is a personal thing. It’s individual, and only your own journey can heal you,” Travolta shared with the magazine. “It’s different for each person. The best thing you can do to help someone who is grieving is to let them go through it and not mix it with your own. That’s what I’ve learned.”
John Travolta is familiar with grief. In 2009, he faced an even more heartbreaking loss in his family: Jett, his oldest child with Kelly Preston, passed away at 16 due to a seizure. Jett had autism and suffered from Kawasaki disease, which made him prone to seizures. The loss of his son was a devastating experience for Travolta.
Today, three years after Kelly’s passing, John Travolta’s main focus is on his family and being a father. He promised to take a break from his career after his wife’s death to concentrate on the family, and he has kept that promise.
In the past year, one of his notable roles was in a Super Bowl commercial, where he shared the screen with his daughter, Ella. The commercial not only allowed Travolta to show off some of his famous dance moves but also provided a fun time with his family.
Losing her mother was incredibly tough for Ella Bleu, just as it would be for anyone. However, she has been following in her father’s footsteps in the acting world, and her dad has been very supportive throughout the years.
When Ella, who is 22, got a role in a new version of Alice in Wonderland called Get Lost, John Travolta proudly talked about his wonderful daughter. He shared a picture of her dressed as Alice on Instagram and wrote, “I’m a very proud dad!”
The 68-year-old single dad also frequently posts pictures of his blonde-haired son, Ben, who is 11. On Father’s Day, the Saturday Night Fever star shared his feelings about being a dad, saying, “It’s a privilege to be a father. I love you, my babies. Happy Father’s Day to everyone,” along with photos of his children.
Travolta shared that he wants to support his kids as much as possible, ensuring they have a good future and helping them with whatever they want to do in life.
Talking to Esquire, he said, “The legacy is created by all the people who have loved and helped me over the years. Life is movement and a journey; what you leave behind in people, I guess that’s your legacy.”
Recently, John Travolta decided to sell his family’s vacation home in Maine, where they spent a lot of time together. He bought the estate in 1991, after marrying Kelly. The property, which went on the market in 2021 for $5 million, has 20 bedrooms, a beach, open ocean access, and an in-ground pool. Even though the price was too high, it’s clear that Travolta wants to let go of the vacation home. It’s on the market again in 2022.
Nowadays, it seems like the star of Pulp Fiction, John Travolta, spends most of his time at his home in Florida. His most famous and impressive property is in Ocala, Florida, sitting on 550 acres and featuring six bedrooms. What makes it really special are the two aircraft runways leading right up to his front door.
Travolta is not just a famous actor; he’s also a big fan of flying and a certified pilot with a license to fly a 737 airplane. He was one of the first to buy land in this exclusive gated community back in 2001.
“We designed the house for the jets and to have at our access the world at a moment’s notice, and we succeeded at that. I was five years old when I fell in love with aviation. This is in my blood,” John Travolta shared with Australia’s Today.
During this summer, he gave us a peek into his family life as he traveled around the world with his kids, Ella and Ben.
The big question is, how much longer will John Travolta keep his cherished aircraft estate, which even has a banquet hall that can host up to 400 guests? Back in 2019, it was put up for sale at $10.5 million.
The agent handling the sale, Bartow McDonald, highlighted what makes Jumbolair so special, saying, “It’s what’s beyond the runway that makes Jumbolair so special. It is the ability to go anywhere in the world from your backyard.”
We feel sorry for everything the Travolta family has been through recently, but it’s good to see John doing well and finding some peace during the grieving process.
Taking the time to grieve and heal is crucial. Whether it’s being alone or surrounded by special people, everyone needs their own way to cope.
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