John Travolta paid a touching tribute to his late wife Kelly Preston at the weekend to mark Mother’s Day.
Preston passed away almost three years ago, in July 2023, after a two-year battle with breast cancer. She and Travolta had been married for some 28 years at the time of her death, and her passing left a huge whole in the Hollywood actor’s life.
Pulp Fiction star Travolta has spoken candidly on his grief in the years since, and this weekend posted a fitting tribute to his late wife – a throwback video of the actress opening a gift on a previous Mother’s Day.
“Happy Mother’s Day Kelly. We miss you and love you! Love, Ben, Ella and John,” Travolta captioned the clip, referring to their daughter Ella, 23, and son Ben, 12.
In the video itself, Preston smiles as she peers inside a white box decorated with the word “MOM”. She doesn’t take out the contents of the box, but from the brief sneak-peek it looks like it contains photos from her loved ones.
Travolta broke the news about his beloved wife’s death via social media in 2020.
“It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer,” Travolta wrote.
“She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many. My family and I will forever be grateful to her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, all the medical centers that have helped, as well as her many friends and loved ones who have been by her side.”
Preston’s passing came largely as a shock to fans who had no idea she was fighting for her life.
A representative for the family released a statement that read: “Choosing to keep her fight private, she had been undergoing medical treatment for some time, supported by her closest family and friends.
“She was a bright, beautiful and loving soul who cared deeply about others and who brought life to everything she touched. Her family asks for your understanding of their need for privacy at this time.”
Grease star John Travolta has never shied away from posting heartfelt tributes on social media to commemorate loved ones taken too soon.
Lat year, Travolta wrote a 30th birthday tribute to his late son, Jett, who died while on a family holiday in the Bahamas aged 16.
It’s now been 14 years since Jett’s passing, but his father is understandably still greatly affected by it. Last year, as Jett would have turned 30, John posted the most heartfelt of birthday tributes.
“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.”
Our thoughts go out to John – and indeed all those who have lost a mother or the mother of their children – at this tough time.
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