John Travolta ‘heartbroken’ over son’s death
John Travolta has spoken out for the first time since his 16-year-old son’s death on Friday.
Jett Travolta, son of John and his wife Kelly Preston, passed away on a family holiday in the Bahamas after suffering a seizure at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel, said a lawyer for the family, Michael Ossi.
The teen hit his head on a bathtub and was declared dead at Rand Memorial Hospital, police spokeswoman Loretta Mackey told the Associated Press.
The star of Grease and Pulp Fiction has spoken of his tragic loss in a statement, which read: ‘Jett was the most wonderful son that two parents could ever ask for and lit up the lives of everyone he encountered. We are heartbroken that our time with him was so brief. We will cherish the time that we had with him for the rest of our lives.’
The family’s lawyer, Mike Ossi, also told how Travolta tried in vain for 20 minutes to save his son’s life, saying: ‘He didn't want anything to happen to that boy, and he kept on trying to revive him.
‘He did mouth-to-mouth until they had to physically remove John to take Jett to the hospital.’
Jett, who is the actor’s only son – the couple also have a daughter, Ella, 8 – had a history of having seizures, and was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, a condition that can cause inflammation of the arteries.
According to Ossi, at around 5.30 pm on 1 January, John said goodnight to his son, who was tired from a long day spent on the water with his family. Jett went to his room with his nanny. 'He always had a nanny by his side because he had a history of seizures,' says Ossi. 'John took extra precautions. [Jett] was never alone.'
Travolta, 54, thanked fans for their messages of support in an online post on Preston’s website, saying: ‘We have received many messages of condolence from around the world and we want to thank everyone for their prayers and support.
‘It has meant so much to us. It is a beautiful reminder of the inherent goodness in the human spirit that gives us hope for a brighter future.’