John Travolta and his wife, Kelly Preston, had the kind of love story that would make for a bestseller novel, but their union met its tragic end when Preston passed away after a two-year characteristic battle with cancer. Now, Travolta focuses on raising their children on his Florida estate and is not ready to open his heart to love.
Like most Hollywood love stories, John Travolta and Kelly Preston’s first meeting was onscreen. The stage was set for the two during the screen test for the 1989 comedy, “The Experts,” and would become one of the most desirable romances in Hollywood history.
However, at the time of their first meeting, Preston was still married to “SpaceCamp” star Kevin Cage. Nevertheless, she would later confess that she was not that happily married.
Preston and Cage parted ways in 1985 after being married for only two years. Preston then got involved in a few high-profile romances, briefly moving on with George Clooney and Charlie Sheen, before finally settling down with the man she would spend the rest of her life with — Travolta.
Preston confessed that it was “kinda” love at first sight for her and Travolta, and as soon as she was single again, after breaking things off with Sheen in 1990, Travolta wasted no time. He swooped in and swept her off her feet, and the two started a whirlwind romance that would culminate in marriage and kids.
Travolta went all out with his New Year’s Eve proposal, presenting Preston with a six-carat yellow-and-white diamond ring. The proposal was pretty sudden, and when Travolta asked Preston to marry him, she reportedly screamed.
Their relationship brought them so much happiness that those close to them could see the undeniable joy on their faces. “I’ve never seen Johnny happier,” said a family member of the “Can’t Let You Go” actor, further stating:
“I guess it’s timing. John and Kelly are both ready to settle down.”
Preston’s mother also confessed that her daughter had always been involved with the bad-boy kind but had admitted that Travolta was different. “[He] is so kind and loving and generous,” she shared.
The Switzerland proposal was followed closely by their unannounced wedding at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris, and a second ceremony in Daytona Beach, Florida. At the time of their nuptials, Preston was two months pregnant with their first son, Jett, who they welcomed in 1992.
The pair had a good marriage and always looked smitten with each other. Preston would often gush over her husband and their love, even occasionally sharing the secret to their idyllic marriage. During a sit-down with “Good Morning America,” the “Gotti” actress revealed that the glue that kept their marriage intact was communication. She also emphasized the importance of putting work into the marriage:
“Keep it fun. It doesn’t happen on its own. You’ve gotta work on it.”
Preston also had some wonderful compliments for her husband and pointed out some of her favorite things about the “Two of a Kind” star. She declared that she loved his hips, laugh, how much fun he was, and even how much they loved dancing.
They were indeed a sight to behold, and their love reached new levels when in 2000, they welcomed their second baby, daughter Ella Bleu. The arrival of their daughter only added to their happiness, and raising their babies together brought fulfillment for them.
For the years they were together, they never forgot the importance of appreciating their love for each other and always made time to be together. Celebrating birthdays and anniversaries was the norm, and the two would often make tear-jerking tributes to each other.
For Preston’s 40th birthday, Travolta presented her with a sumptuous cake at the One World, One Child Benefit Concert in 2002. On the other hand, Preston also appreciated Travolta’s love and took to Instagram to appreciate their milestones, including their 28th anniversary.
In the lengthy post accompanied by a photo of the lovebirds, Preston referred to Travolta as “the most wonderful man,” adding:
“You have given me hope when I have felt lost, loved me patiently and unconditionally… made me laugh harder than any other human being possible… shared the most beautiful highs and, at times, lows.”
She praised him for being a good dad, thanked him for making her life fun, and noted that she trusted him implicitly. With him, she would always be okay no matter what happened. “I love you forever and completely,” she concluded the post.
Travolta also made his love for his wife known, posting a short yet emotional message on their big day, in which he wished his “wonderful wife” a happy 28th anniversary.
Their marriage was one of a kind that lasted a long time and was filled with love and a timeless appreciation for each other. Unfortunately, their happiness was cut short when they suffered a heart-breaking family tragedy in 2009.
The family had been vacationing in the Bahamas when they experienced a parent’s worst nightmare after their son Jett—16 at the time—suffered a seizure and hit his head on the bathtub.
Jett, who had Kawasaki syndrome, a rare autoimmune disease, was pronounced deceased at Rand Memorial Hospital, leaving his parents devastated. Travolta often said he was happy as long as his children were happy, and his son’s passing left him heartbroken.
Following Jett’s devastating death, Travolta and Preston would pay tribute to their departed son with beautiful memories of their time together. In 2019, Preston posted a throwback photo of her and her husband kissing Jett on both cheeks as he lay down on a bed with the broadest grin on his face. She referred to him as her “sweet Jett,” noting that he would remain in their hearts forever.
She also sent her love to all autistic children and those who love and care for them. “May we all shine and grant love and respect to children with special needs,” she wrote.
A couple of years after the devastating loss, the lovebirds had reason to celebrate after they welcomed a new addition to the family—son Benjamin. The little boy helped his parents cope with the loss of their older son, and Travolta considered him the glue that pulled them together:
“He’s given the house a renewed spirit and purpose.”
The family remained close, with Travolta and Preston seemingly more in love. They relished raising their beautiful children and enjoyed their love for each other. Unfortunately, another loss was around the corner, one that would tear Travolta’s world apart.
Another Heart-Wrenching Loss for John Travolta
On the morning of July 12, 2020, Travolta experienced another loss when Preston passed away after a two-year characteristic battle with breast cancer.
A family rep disclosed that the “SkyHigh” actress had chosen to keep her fight private and was under medication for a while before her demise. However, she had not been fighting the illness alone and had the support of her closest family and friends.
Those who knew Preston were incredibly saddened by her demise, as many knew her as a good person. The rep confirmed this when he called Preston a bright, beautiful, and loving soul who brought to life everything she touched.
Even as he grieved this significant loss, Travolta shared the saddening news with his fans, saying that his wife’s love would always be remembered. Months after his wife’s demise, Travolta honored her on what would have been her 58th birthday, posting a throwback photo of their wedding day.
Dealing with the loss of his beloved wife was an uphill task for Travolta, and even as he dealt with the pain, he still took the time to learn some lessons from his mourning. He told Esquire Spain that through his grief, he had learned that mourning was a personal experience and it was only in experiencing that journey that one would find healing.
He also had some nuggets of wisdom to share with those who wished to help others through grief. The secret was to allow them to live through it. And even though he acknowledged that having company while grieving helped, he said that sometimes, it turned into you helping them instead of working on your loss and grief.
When his wife passed away, so many people were approaching him with their sadness that he barely knew what to do. If he’d known it at the time, he would have left for a place where he could mourn her without interference. He mused:
“If I die tomorrow, the last thing I want to see is everyone around me down.”
In addition to dealing with the loss of his lovely wife, Travolta also had to brace himself and speak about death to his son. He had to comfort and console Benjamin, who thought his dad was headed the same way his mother had gone.
Travolta Now Raises His Two Kids in a Small City and Is Not Ready for Love
While the “Eyes of an Angel” star was no stranger to grief after losing his son, the death of his wife hit him hard. And even several years later, he is still not ready to date. He has not entirely closed himself up for love, but it will be a long while until he dates again.
Travolta now chooses to focus on his children. He disclosed that he wanted to help his son evolve as a fulfillment of Preston’s dream to see her children grow up, get married, and become parents.
He is also a super present dad in Ella’s life, and the pair recently broke the internet after recreating his famous “Grease” dance for a Superbowl commercial. He disclosed that he would never want to dance with anyone but his daughter.
Travolta and Preston often danced together, which was essential to the actor. Years later, dancing with his daughter served as a way of paying tribute to Preston and entertaining fans.
Even though the actor has sold two of his and Preston’s homes — in Maine and Florida — he raises his children at his other home in Ocala, Florida, built on the Jumbolair Aviation Estate.
The home, which boasts an impressive 7000 square feet, sits on a 19.5 acres parcel of land and has its very own airport, a 7500-foot runway, and even space for two planes.
His five-bedroom, five-and-a-half bathrooms mid-century home provides comfort and is a haven for him and his children.
The house also has a pool cabana, which one of the home’s designers says is a grown-up playroom. Travolta planned to use the ample open space for dancing, and now, he and his daughter may just have the perfect spot to bust some moves.
The “Paradise City” actor disclosed that he is figuring out what’s next for him, and the way to do that is by trying to get to a point in his life that allows him to enjoy life and experiment with music and dance. Luckily, he has a willing dance partner in his daughter.
A quiet life in the small city of Ocala, with a population of 65,100 residents, is doing the actor well, even as he figures out his life. Careerwise, he disclosed that even though he is not slowing down, he is now more selective with roles.
