John Travolta and his wife Kelly Preston, both actors, said that they were heartbroken by the death of their son Jett last week, at the age of 16. The boy was found unconscious during a family vacation to the Bahamas.
''Jett was the most wonderful son that two parents could ever ask for and lit up the lives of everyone he encountered. We are heartbroken that our time with him was so brief,'' the family told press on Sunday.
The statement continued, saying that the family has ''received many messages of condolence from around the world and we want to thank everyone for their prayers and support. It has meant so much to us.'' It was signed ''With love, John, Kelly and Ella.''
Jett had been having epileptic seizures since he was a toddler, and according to John’s attorney, he may have had one on Friday that killed him.
The boy was survived by his father, 54, mother, 46, and his sister Ella, aged eight. Despite speculation, the precise cause of death is still unknown. Jett was last seen alive on New Year’s Day when he used the bathroom at the family residence in the Old Bahama Bay Resort on Grand Bahama Island, according to Police Chief Superintendent Basil Rahming.
The statement he gave press says that he was found unconscious in the bathroom at around 10:00 a.m. the next day by a caretaker. The police chief went on to say that an autopsy was scheduled to determine the precise cause of death.
Burial is planned for after the autopsy in Ocala, Florida, where the family owns a home.
Jett, according to his father, suffered from Kawasaki syndrome, a possible precursor to heart disease.
The condition is also known as lymph node syndrome, and is a febrile illness that affects several organs, including the skin and mucous membranes, lymph nodes, blood vessel walls and the heart. It was first described in 1967 by a Japanese doctor, Tomisaku Kawasaki. The disease usually affects children under five, and although present worldwide, seems to be mostly encountered in Japan. In its most serious form, the condition can provoke the inflammation of the blood vessels.
Jett Travolta’s short life was troubled by health problems. In addition to the seizures and the Kawasaki syndrome, he also had asthma, for which his mother blamed household cleaners, fertilizers and pesticides. She lobbied for more detailed labeling on chemical products, according to People Magazine’s online edition. The magazine reported that she credited a detoxification program based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard (Scientology’s founder) to improving Jett’s health.
John Travolta and Kelly Preston are both members of the church of Scientology.
