Yesterday I posted a newslink for the sad news that John Travolta and Kelly Preston’s 16-year old son Jett suddenly died while the family was on holiday at their home in the Bahamas (the news was first reported by TMZ). At the time that I posted the newslink, there was no information as to the cause of the boy’s untimely death. It has since been reported by multiple news outlets that Jett suffered a seizure while in the bathtub and hit his head. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead upon arrival at the local hospital:
Jett Travolta, the 16-year-old son of actor John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston, died Friday while on vacation with his family in the Bahamas. Jett had suffered a seizure at his family’s vacation home at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel on Grand Bahama Island, said Michael Ossi, a lawyer for the family, in a statement through Travolta’s rep. The teen hit his head in a bathtub Friday morning and was declared dead at Rand Memorial Hospital, police spokeswoman Loretta Mackey told the Associated Press. According to police, a caretaker had found Jett unconscious in the bathroom around 10 a.m. An autopsy is being pursued to determine the exact cause of death. Jett, who is the only son of Travolta, 54, and Preston, 46, had a history of seizures, according to Ossi. The couple also have a daughter, Ella Bleu, 8 … In 2003 Preston told Montel Williams that when Jett was 2 he became “very, very ill, but it seemed like flu symptoms” before being diagnosed with Kawasaki disease. The condition, which usually affects children from ages 2 to 5, can cause inflammation of the arteries. Usually treatable, it can lead to lasting heart damage in rare cases. Preston, who also said Jett suffered from asthma, blamed household cleaners, fertilizers and pesticides for sparking the condition and lobbied for more detailed labeling on chemical products. She credited a detoxification program based on the writings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard with helping to improve Jett’s health.
It was widely speculated that Jett Travolta was autistic, tho the family denied it. TMZ is reporting today that police have opened an investigation into the boy’s death but do not believe that any crimes were committed. If anything, the investigation hopes to clarify the events surrounding the boy’s death. He was last seen going to the bathroom on Jan. 1 but wasn’t seen again until 10AM the following morning. I cannot begin to imagine the level of grief the family must be facing at a time like this. The loss of a child must be the most devastating thing a family can endure. I can only hope the family will be able to find the strength and resolve to make it thru this horrible tragedy. I’m sure it is safe to say that all of our thoughts and prayers are with the Travolta family right now.
[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]
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