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John Travolta is marking a bittersweet date.
In January of 2009, his teenage son died tragically while the family was on vacation.
Sunday would have been his birthday. It is forever a happy occasion — but also a sad one.
To honor his son’s memory, the actor shared a throwback photo and affirmed that love outlasts any one life.
April 13 will always be a bittersweet date for John Travolta and his family
On Sunday, April 13, John Travolta took to his Instagram page to share a photo from his late son’s childhood.
The throwback snap showed the actor holding a young Jett — from years before his death.
In the caption, Travolta wrote: “Happy birthday Jett — I miss you so much! Love you forever!”
In January of 2009, Jett was 16 years old. He was just months away from turning 17.
The family was on vacation in the Bahamas.
Jett reportedly was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease from the age of two, and suffered seizures due to the condition.
A seizure was his official cause of death. Had he lived, Jett would have turned 33 on Sunday.
His family has grappled with terrible losses
Travolta shared Jett, daughter Ella Bleu, and son Benjamin, with his late wife, Kelly Preston.
Preston passed away in July of 2020 following a two-year battle with breast cancer.
Following her death, Travolta expressed gratitude for all of the medical professionals who had helped her fight for her life.
“Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered,” Travolta expressed on Instagram at the time.
“I will be taking some time to be there for my children who have lost their mother,” he told followers at the time. “So forgive me in advance if you don’t hear from us for a while.”
Travolta concluded: “But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal.”
Mourning is never easy, and sometimes it never ends
Travolta has grappled with the passing of his wife and with the unthinkable loss of his son.
A longtime member and defender of the Church of Scientology, the actor has credited the controversial organization — among other things — for helping him to process grief.
Some coping mechanisms are certainly less healthy than others.
However, our hearts go out to his entire family as they continue to process Jett’s absence. Losing a child, a sibling, like that will never go away.
