John Travolta is honoring his late son on what would have been his 30th birthday.
The 68-year-old actor took to Instagram to post about his late son. John usually celebrates Jett on his birthday and intermittently throughout the year. The family has always made an effort to keep Jett's memory alive since his tragic death in January 2009. This one was extra tough for fans to read, knowing John has now lost both Jett and wife Kelly Preston. Jett would have turned 30 this year.
"My dearest Jetty, I miss you more than words can say," John wrote in his post. "I think about you everyday. Happy Birthday. Love, your Dad."
In 2019, 10 years after Jett's death, John Travolta looked back at that time in his life.
"[It was] the worst thing that's ever happened in my life. The truth is, I didn’t know if I was going to make it," he told Us Weekly. He credited Scientology with helping him through.
"The church never left our sides for two years. I don’t know if I would have made it through without their support. Our church is the No. 1 thing that keeps us grounded."
John has held his other two children, 22-year-old Ella and 11-year-old Benjamin, close since Kelly's death in 2020. He even revealed that he's had to have some hard conversations with Benjamin since losing Kelly.
"[Ben] said to me once, 'Because mom passed away, I'm afraid you're going to,'" John told Kevin Hart on his Peacock talk show, Hart to Heart.
"I said, 'Well, it's a very different thing.' And I went through the differences about my longevity and her limited life."
"I said, 'Ben, you have always loved the truth, and I'm going to tell you the truth about life. Nobody knows when they are going to go or when they are going to stay,'" he continued.
"Your brother (Jett) left at 16. Too young. Your mother left at 57. That was too young. But who's to say? I could die tomorrow. You could. Anybody can. So let's look at it like it's part of life. You don't know exactly. You just do your best at trying to live the longest you can."
John has never understated his heartbreak at Jett's loss. On the seventh anniversary of Jett's death, John wrote a heartfelt Facebook post.
"They say the hardest thing in the world is losing a parent. I can now say that isn't true. The hardest thing in the world is losing a child," John wrote.
"Someone you raised and watched grow every day. Someone you taught how to walk and talk. Someone you showed how to love. It's the worst thing to ever happen to anyone. My son died of a seizure. He brought me so much joy. He was my everything. Those 16 years of being his father taught me how to love unconditionally."
“We have to stop and be thankful for our children and children should stop and be thankful for their parents. Because, life is very short. Spend time with your parents and parents spend time with your children," the actor urged.
"Treat them well. Because, one day, when you look up from your phone, they won't be there anymore. What I truly learned most of all is, live and love everyday like it's your last. Because, one day, it will be. Take chances and go live life. Tell the ones you love, that you love them every day. Don't take any moment for granted. Life is worth living."
