John Travolta's wife Kelly Preston dies at 57 after 2-year battle with breast cancer, fans in 'absolute shock'
Actress and former model Kelly Preston has passed away at the age of 57 following a two-year-long battle with cancer, her husband John Travolta has confirmed. In an Instagram post, Travolta shared, "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. She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many."
The statement went on to express gratitude to Preston's carers, stating, "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." Travolta concluded by sharing, "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."
Preston, whose real name was Kelly Kamalelehua Smith, built up an impressive filmography during her career that included appearances in over 60 television and film productions including 1985's 'Mischief', 1988's 'Twins' in which she starred opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, and 1996's 'Jerry Maguire' with Tom Cruise. She also collaborated with Travolta, appearing in films like 'Battlefield Earth' in 2000 and the 2018 biographical film, 'Gotti'. Outside of film and TV, Preston also appeared in music videos, most notably Maroon 5's 2004 hit song 'She Will Be Loved'.
After being linked to several top names in Hollywood, including George Clooney, and following a marriage to Kevin Gage that ended in 1987 as well as a brief engagement to Charlie Sheen in 1990, Preston went on to wed Travolta in 1991, first at a ceremony officiated by a French Scientology minister and later at an official ceremony. The two went on to have three children, with their son Jett tragically passing away in 2009 at the age of 16 from a seizure, something he dealt with since the age of two owing to him suffering from Kawasaki disease.
Fans have expressed their shock and sadness at the news of Preston's passing. One user shared, "I am in absolute shock about Kelly Preston. I can't believe it. So sad," while another said, "Omg RIP Kelly Preston. I’m in shock." One tweet read, "I honestly enjoyed Kelly Preston's work. I'm sorry she's no longer with us. RIP," while another user said, "RIP Kelly Preston. Poor Travolta, man. Lost his son and now lost his wife to cancer."
Travolta and Preston only recently celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary over a romantic dinner filled with tributes to one another. Many expressed their frustration at the situation, owing largely to the year 2020 being seen as a curse that refuses to ease up. One person shared, "I just heard that Kelly Preston has died after a private 2 year battle with Breast Cancer. What is happening!?" while another simply stated, "Kelly Preston. F**k. No."