The death of a spouse is one of the most difficult experiences in life, especially when they pass away at a relatively young age.
John Travolta and his family have endured several very difficult years. In 2020, his wife and mother of their children, Kelly Preston, died of breast cancer.
As always, John has since focused on being the best father he can be.
Over the years, Travolta has become one of the greatest actors of the century. Along the way, he met the love of his life, and together they created a wonderful family.
In 1991, after proposing at the Palace Hotel restaurant in Gstaad, Switzerland, a year earlier, John Travolta married Kelly Preston.
The couple tied the knot on 5 September 1991 in a secret ceremony at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris.
Kelly was born on 13 October 1962 in Honolulu, Hawaii, and, like John, worked in the film industry. She studied acting at the University of Southern California and began her acting career in 1985, appearing in several major films such as The Misfits, Twins, Jerry Maguire, and For the Love of the Game.
Preston also played several small roles on television throughout her career. In 2018, she starred in the film Gotti, which was her last film role. In July 2020, Kelly died after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
She was 57 years old.
‘On the morning of 12 July 2020, Kelly Preston, beloved wife and mother, passed away after a two-year battle with breast cancer,’ a family representative told People magazine at the time.
‘She was a bright, beautiful and loving soul who cared deeply for others and brought life to everything she touched. Her family asks that you respect their need for privacy at this time.’
It turned out that Kelly had kept her diagnosis a secret. On the British talk show Loose Woman, her co-star in Off the Rails — which was her last film role — Sally Phillips said that they knew nothing about it during filming.
‘Many people do this — they go through it alone because of concerns about insurance for the film and the possibility of working again afterwards,’ Phillips said, according to the Mirror.
“We’ve had a few high-profile examples of this recently, haven’t we? Chadwick [Boismann] and Helen McCrory didn’t tell anyone,” she added.
‘She fought a courageous battle, supported by the love and support of many people,’ Travolta wrote. ‘Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered.’
John Travolta wrote on Instagram: ‘My family and I will be forever grateful to her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Centre, all the medical centres that helped her, and her many friends and loved ones who were by her side. Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered.’
In the same post, Travolta said that during his mourning period, he would be spending time with his family, especially his children, 22-year-old Ella and 11-year-old Ben. His first child with Kelly Preston, Jett, died of an epileptic seizure at the age of 16.
Travolta and Preston were married for 19 years before her death and had three children. Less than a year after her death, it is understandable that he is not ready to move on so soon.
John Travolta’s new girlfriend
For his part, Travolta is not yet ready to start a new relationship.
‘John has no shortage of friends who want to set him up with someone, and there are plenty of women who would like to date him,’ an insider told OK! Magazine.
“John is flattered, but he’s just not interested.
No one wants to pressure him because everyone understands that he is torn between wanting to open himself up to love again and wanting to remain single and be the best father he can be. Until John figures out his feelings, everyone is giving him the space he needs.”
Remaining reserved, Travolta spoke about his grieving process in an interview with Esquire Mexico.
‘I realised that grieving for someone, mourning, is a personal thing,’ Travolta told the magazine. “Mourning is individual, and only your own path can heal you.
It’s different from other people’s paths. The most important thing you can do to help someone else when they’re grieving is to let them live through it and not complicate their life with your own grief. That’s my experience.”
Travolta was no stranger to grief. In 2009, he suffered an even more tragic loss in his family: Jett, his eldest child with Preston, died of a seizure at the age of 16.
Jett was autistic and suffered from Kawasaki disease, and was also prone to seizures. His son’s death devastated Travolta.
Life after Kelly
Today, three years after Kelly’s death, Travolta has focused on his family and fatherhood. After his wife’s death, Travolta said he would take a break from his career to focus on his family, and he has kept his word.
One of his most notable screen appearances last year was in a Super Bowl commercial, which also featured his daughter Ella. The commercial gave Travolta the opportunity to showcase some of his famous dance moves and have fun with his family.
For Ella Blue, losing her mother was painful, as it would be for anyone. However, she followed in her father’s footsteps in acting, and he has been very supportive of her over the years.
When 22-year-old Ella landed a role in a new version of Alice in Wonderland called Get Lost, John Travolta showed off his beautiful daughter. He shared a photo of his daughter dressed as Alice in Wonderland on Instagram.
‘I am so proud of my daughter!’ he wrote in the caption.
The 68-year-old single father also often posts photos of his 11-year-old son Ben with blond hair. On Father’s Day, the Saturday Night Fever star shared his feelings about what it means to be a father.
‘Being a father is a privilege. I love you, my children. Happy Father’s Day to all!’ he wrote under photos of his children.
Travolta said he wants to help his children as much as possible.
‘I will provide for my children’s future, help them with whatever they want to do in life,’ Travolta said.
‘Legacy is created by all the people who have loved and helped me over the years,’ he told Esquire. ‘Life is movement and travel; what you leave behind in people’s hearts, I think, is your legacy.’
Mansion at the airport
John Travolta recently decided to sell his family holiday home in Maine, where he, his children and Kelly spent a lot of time together.
Travolta bought the Maine estate in 1991 after marrying Kelly. The 10,000-square-foot property was listed for sale in 2021 for £5 million. Built in 1903, this remarkable home has 20 bedrooms, a beach and access to the open ocean, as well as a swimming pool.
However, the price was apparently too high, but it is clear that Travolta wants to part with his holiday home. In 2022, it was put up for sale again.
Today, it seems that the star of Pulp Fiction spends most of his time at his home in Florida. Travolta’s most famous and impressive property is located in Ocala, Florida. The 550-acre, six-bedroom estate has several very special features — two runways that lead directly to his front door.
Travolta, an aviation enthusiast and certified pilot with a licence to fly a 737, was one of the first to purchase land in the exclusive gated community in 2001.
“We designed the house for aeroplanes so that we could have access to the whole world at any moment, and we succeeded. I fell in love with aviation when I was five years old. It’s in my blood,” John Travolta told Australian magazine Today.
This summer, he shared snippets of his family life as he travelled the world with Ella and Ben.
The question is how long Travolta will keep his beloved aviation estate, which also includes a banquet hall that can accommodate up to 400 guests. In 2019, it was listed for sale for $10.5 million.
Real estate agent Bartow MacDonald said:
‘It’s what’s beyond the runway that makes Jumbolair so special. It’s the ability to fly anywhere in the world right from your backyard.’
We are very sorry for what the Travolta family has had to go through recently, but we are glad that John is feeling well and has found some comfort in the grieving process.
It’s important to give yourself time to grieve and heal. It’s important to be alone, but it’s also important to be surrounded by loved ones.
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