A heartbroken John Travolta today paid tribute to ‘my beautiful wife’ Kelly Preston after she died of breast cancer at the age of 57.
Preston died on Sunday morning having ‘fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many’, Travolta said as he revealed his wife’s two-year cancer ordeal for the first time.
The two actors’ lives had already been overshadowed by tragedy when their 16-year-old son Jett died after a seizure at a Bahamas holiday home in 2009.
The shock of Jett’s death was followed by a legal row with an ambulance driver and lawyer who were accused of trying to extort $25million from the couple by threatening to reveal sensitive details about the death.
The couple’s 20-year-old daughter Ella said she had ‘never met anyone as courageous’ as her mother as she paid her own emotional tribute today and said: ‘I love you so much mama’.
Preston, a former model and actress who starred in Jerry Maguire, met Travolta on the set of The Experts and had been married to the Grease star for 29 years. The couple lived in Florida and were both practicing Scientologists, and have another nine-year-old son, Benjamin.
John, 66, confirmed his wife’s death in an Instagram post overnight Sunday, writing: ‘Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered.
‘I will be taking some time to be there for my children who have lost their mother, so forgive me in advance if you don’t hear from us for a while. But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal.’
Stars pay tribute to Kelly Preston
Stars took to social media on Monday morning to pay tribute to John Travolta’s wife Kelly Preston who died of breast cancer aged 57.
They spoke of her ‘kindness’ and ‘beautiful light’ and said they were heartbroken for the family, who had already suffered tragedy after Kelly’s son Jett died aged 16 in 2009.
Spencer Breslin, who appeared with Kelly in 2003 movie, The Cat In The Hat, wrote: ‘RIP to my on screen mom, #kellypreston. What a lovely woman. Such a sad loss.’
Holly Marie Combs Ryan wrote: ‘This is so sad. My thoughts are with her family and friends. She was and still is a beautiful light.’
Maria Shriver wrote: ‘Shocked by this sad news. Kelly was such a bright loving soul, a talented actress, and a loving mom and wife.
‘My heart breaks for her family who have already known such sadness and grief. Join me in sending them love and strength.#RIP #KellyPreston.’
Chloe Bennet wrote: ‘Kelly Preston was enormously kind and unbelievably lovely. Can’t believe this.
‘My thoughts are with her sweet Ella and the rest of her incredible family. RIP White heart.’
Perez Hilton wrote: ‘I am at a loss for words. No words. Just light to John Travolta and her children and family. Rest peacefully, Kelly Preston.’
A spokesman for the Travolta family told : ‘On the morning of July 12, 2020, Kelly Preston, adored wife and mother, passed away following a two-year battle with breast cancer.
‘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.’
Travolta paid tribute to the ‘doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center’ who treated Preston during her illness, but the family has not revealed whether she was in the hospital or at the couple’s Florida home when she died.
The Anderson Cancer Center has numerous locations in the United States, including in Florida.
The couple’s daughter Ella wrote in her own tribute: ‘I have never met anyone as courageous, strong, beautiful and loving as you.
‘Anyone who is lucky enough to have known you or to have ever been in your presence will agree that you have a glow and a light that never ceases to shine and that makes anyone around you feel instantly happy. Thank you for being there for me no matter what.
‘Thank you for your love. Thank you for your help and thank you for making this world a better place.
‘You have made life so beautiful and I know you will continue to do so always. I love you so much mama.’
Tributes have already poured in from celebrities who hailed her ‘kindness’ and ‘beautiful light’ and said they were heartbroken for the family, who had already suffered the agony of Jett’s death in 2009.
Maria Shriver was among those to pay a heartfelt tribute last night, saying she was ‘shocked by this sad news’.
‘Kelly was such a bright loving soul, a talented actress, and a loving mom and wife,’ Shriver said. ‘My heart breaks for her family who have already known such sadness and grief. Join me in sending them love and strength.’
Russell Crowe said he met Preston ‘first in late ’92 I think,’ adding, ‘In 1995 we auditioned together for Breaking Up, Salma Hayek got that gig.’ Crowe said he hadn’t seen Preston much, ‘but when I did, she was always the same sparkly eyed gem.’
Actress Chloe Bennett said: ‘Kelly Preston was enormously kind and unbelievably lovely. Can’t believe this.’
She added: ‘My thoughts are with her sweet Ella and the rest of her incredible family. RIP.’
Paying her own tribute, actress Holly Marie Combs Ryan wrote: ‘This is so sad. My thoughts are with her family and friends. She was and still is a beautiful light.’
Actor Josh Gad also paid tribute, saying: ‘I’m in absolute shock. What a beautiful and amazing actress and person.
‘So sad to hear of her passing at such a young age. My heart goes out to John Travolta and the entire family. What a loss.’
Spencer Breslin, who appeared with Kelly in 2003 movie, The Cat In The Hat, wrote: ‘RIP to my on screen mom, #kellypreston. What a lovely woman. Such a sad loss.’
Preston was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1962 before going onto to study at the University of Southern California.
Born Kelly Kamalelehua Smith in Honolulu, she changed her name to Kelly Preston before securing her first film role in the 1985 romcom Mischief, then appeared in another teen comedy, Secret Admirer.
In the next few years Preston starred in films such as SpaceCamp and then Twins with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.
In Jerry Maguire, Preston played Tom Cruise’s fiancee Avery Bishop, then co-starred opposite Kevin Costner in ‘For Love of the Game’.
