John Travolta opens up about how his family healed after son’s shock death
John Travolta recently opened up about his son Jett’s tragic death in 2009 at the age of only 16, revealing it was the birth of their youngest son, Benjamin, that helped keep the family together
The 63-year-old Hollywood star spoke to Good Morning America about how a now six-year-old Benjamin, who was born in 2010, helped him and his wife of 26 years Kelly Preston, 54, through the loss of their child.
"Certainly having little Benjamin has been a beautiful kind of glue for us to re-bond after a tremendous loss," John told Good Morning America.
Jett sadly died at age 16 after suffering a seizure during a Travolta family vacation to the Bahamas in January 2009.
"I can’t imagine what life would be like without Jett," the Grease star told People in a 1994 interview.
"After he was born and cleaned up, I held him for hours while Kelly slept. When they came to take him away for various tests, I said, 'No, you can’t see him today. You’ll have to do it another day.' I went a little nutsy."
Following Jett’s passing, the Hollywood couple, who have a daughter Elle Bleu as well, surprised fans by confirming they were expecting their third child when Kelly was in her late 40s.
"We had been trying for quite a few years, and then of course there was a time when we weren’t, and then we started trying again," the actress explained at the time.
"When I found out I was pregnant, I was floored. I’d snuck out of bed and then came back and woke Johnny up in bed. We both started crying. It was wonderful."
In February 2014, John said losing his eldest child was the "worst thing" that has ever happened to him.
"The truth is, I didn't know if I was going to make it. Life was no longer interesting to me, so it took a lot to get me better. I will forever be grateful to Scientology for supporting me for two years solid, I mean Monday through Sunday,” he told BBC News.
"They didn't take a day off, working through different angles of the techniques to get through grief and loss, and to make me feel that finally I could get through a day.”