Wow, what a tragedy for the Travolta family – their 16 year old son Jett died today while the family, which includes eight year old daughter Ella Bleu, was celebrating the New Year in the Bahamas. While at the family vacation home at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel on Grand Bahama Island, Jett suffered a seizure.
Photo, from the 1976 film Boy in the Plastic Bubble, is in the public domain because the copyright has expired.
He hit his head on the bathtub and was found unconscious by a caretaker around 10 a.m. this morning. Medical responders attempted to revive the teen, but he was declared dead upon arrival at the Rand Memorial Hospital in Freeport. Family attorney Michael Ossi said an autopsy would be performed on Monday then Jett’s body will be taken to Ocala, Florida for burial. It goes without saying, but Ossi added, “This is the worst day of John’s life.”
I didn’t remember hearing about it, but Jett has had a history of seizures due to Kawasaki disease. Kelly Preston revealed the disorder on the Montel Williams show in 2003. Jett was diagnosed with it when he was 2 years old after becoming very ill with what seemed like the flu. Almost 80% of reported cases of the disease occur in children between the ages of 2 and 5 and it rarely affects children older than 8.
Kawasaki disease causes the arteries to inflame. While it can be treated, it can result in heart damage in some cases. While the cause of the disease is still unknown, it is believed that it may be linked to chemicals used in household cleaners (including carpet cleaners), fertilizers, and pesticides. Preston has lobbied for companies that sell those products to produce more detailed labels.
John Travolta told Larry King in 2001 that Jett, who also suffered from asthma, had experienced a near death incident due to the condition in the past. Preston said that a detoxification program developed through writings by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard helped better Jett’s condition.
Jett had been in Paris in November, where his dad was filming his latest movie From Paris with Love.