At 69, John Travolta Keeps Memories Of Late Wife & Son Close As He Dedicates His Life To Raising His 2 Children

Mar 22, 2023

Born John Joseph Travolta in 1954, he was the youngest of six children who grew up in Englewood, New Jersey, with parents who were in the entertainment business, according to Biography.com. The would-be actor decided early on that he, too, would become an entertainer, so he dropped out of high school at the age of 17 to pursue acting. Soon enough, John had landed his first role in an off-broadway production in 1972, only to join as a replacement for a cast member on a Broadway production of “Grease.” 

The heartthrob burst onto Hollywood's scene when he appeared in a succession of films, including "Saturday Night Fever" and "Grease," and quickly, he became a rising star. Although his career has had its ups and downs, he always managed to rise back to the top.

Sadly, the last couple of years have been difficult for John and his family, as his wife of nearly three decades, actress Kelly Preston, passed away in July 2020 after a battle with breast cancer. Since then, the star has made a few public mentions of the family's loss, as has his lookalike daughter, Ella Bleu Travolta.

After taking some time to grieve in private and be there for his daughter and son, John began making a reappearance on social media in late 2020, often posting moving tributes to his late wife and honoring her legacy. John turned 69 in February 2023 and makes sure to spend a lot of time with his children. Read on to see how how the Hollywood actor is continuing to raise his family without his late wife. 

In July of 2020, John was the one to share the tragic news with the world following Preston's two-year "courageous fight" against breast cancer, which she'd kept away from the public. Sadly, despite the efforts of all medical professionals involved as well as her own determination, cancer won in the end. Writing on Instagram, John said:

"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. 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. Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered."

He went on to say that he'd be taking time off to be there for kids Ella and Benjamin as they all mourned Preston's passing:

"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. All my love, JT" 

In an exclusive with Esquire Mexico in 2021, as reported by People, John opened up about the grief he and his family were experiencing. 

"Grief is personal and finding your own path is what could lead to healing. It's different than someone else's journey," he said. "The most important thing you can do to help people going through grief is allow them the space to live it and not complicate their journey with your own."  

Now that John's two kids are growing older, he is still a crucial part of their lives. John told Esquire he would do anything and everything he could to help his children. He said, as reported by Hello! Magazine:

"I will ensure the future of my children, help them with what they want to do with their lives.”

He added: 

"It is what I do with Ella now with her films and teaching her to work in the profession. Ben is barely 10 years old. I want to help him evolve because he has his whole life ahead of him."

The actor also opened up to Kevin Hart during an appearance on his show "Hart to Heart" about how he spoke candidly with Benjamin about death, after his youngest child asked if John would die too. The actor recalled: "I said, 'Well, it's a very different thing.' And I went through the differences about my longevity and (Preston's) limited life." He added that his son loves the truth, so he told him "Nobody knows when they're gonna go or when they're going to stay."

To keep up with John and his family the best way is by following him on social media. The star’s Instagram account has almost five million followers. Fans and followers can find sweet videos of their life activities and lifestyle on his page. He also supports his children on the platform too. His Instagram bio showcases a link where fans can download and listen to his daughter Ella’s new song. 

Internet users love seeing the family together and don't shy away from commenting on how beautiful the family is, including their resemblance to one another. Despite the Travolta family's heartbreaking loss, the family is happy being together and seems closer than ever.  

Since Preston’s passing, John never forgets to pay tribute to her on her birthday and Mother’s Day every year. On Mother’s Day in 2021, he shared a beautiful family portrait and captioned it:

“Dearest Kelly, you brought into my life three of the most wonderful children I have ever known. Thank you.” 

He also posted a heartrending birthday message for his late son Jett, who passed when he was 16 years old, that read, “My dearest Jetty, I miss you more than words can say. I think about you everyday.”

While Preston and Jett are never too far from his heart, John has continued to raise his children as best he can. He often shares posts of together with them and honored them on Father’s Day, with a cute selfie captioned, “It is a privilege to be the father of these two beautiful children – thank you for the honor and my love and respect to all fathers.” It’s clear from his posts showing off his children’s skills – like Ella’s singing or Ben’s athleticism – that John is one extremely proud papa who devotes so much of his time to them.

Another area John has continued to dedicate time to is an old hobby – flying. John first received his pilot’s license at 22 and has described flying as his “second career.” In March 2022, the star posted a video on Instagram sharing his joy at receiving his 737 license and said:

“A very proud moment in my aviation history. To add to my 747 and 707 licenses, I just received my 737 license and it went very well.”

We’re happy to see John enjoying life with his kids and doing the things he loves, as well as sharing it with the world.

How do you think the Travolta family is doing two years after Kelly Preston's death? If you are a huge fan of this family — pass this on to others who love them too!