John Travolta's Son Dies

tmz.com/ ^ | Jan 2nd 2009 | TMZ staff

[Bobalu]

Rand Memorial Hospital in the Bahamas tells TMZ the son of John Travolta died today.

We're told 16-year-old Jett was vacationing with Travolta and wife Kelly Preston. We do not know the circumstances of his death.

There have been reports that Jett was autistic, though Travolta has denied it, saying he suffers from Kawasaki Syndrome, a condition which often leads to heart disease.

UPDATE: 4:00 PM ET -- Travolta's attorney Michael Ossi says Jett suffered a seizure at his family's vacation home at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel on Grand Bahama Island. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and he died on scene.

UPDATE: 4:40 PM ET -- Restview Memorial Mortuary and Crematorium in the Bahamas tells TMZ Jett's body would be transferred to Restview on Monday.

UPDATE 4:54 PM ET -- A police spokeswoman says Jett hit his head in a bathtub and apparently that triggered the seizure.

[jrg]

Have you tried the ketogenic diet? I know it works for some, but it seems like a lot of work.

Yes, we've tried everything. His problems stems from a stroke at 18 months of age, which damaged almost all of the left half of his brain. The area of the seizures is just too large for surgery to work, and everything else we've tried has not either.

We are currently on about 3 different seizure meds, one of them a relatively new one which has the rare side effect of aplastic anemia (which is fatal), so we're having to constantly check his liver, etc.

My wife is now running a private school for special needs children, probably as a result of all of this.
Thanks for your concern.

[jrg]

Thanks for your concern.
I'm a practising Buddhist and my wife is a Christian, so between the two of us, we're praying on multiple fronts.

[jrg]

We have considered a seizure dog

We've considered the same, however I have two cats (that my wife hates) and she won't get another animal until I get rid of the cats.
Due to my religious beliefs, I'm unable to get rid of the cats, since by adopting them, I've committed to a life-long thing.

I know that they are training seizure dogs, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that the ability to detect seizures appears to be something the dog is born with.

[autumnraine]

Yes, I’m not sure how they would train them for detection, but at the least they would know to go get someone if they had a seizure.

And for some reason this scene just popped into my head

“What’s the matter Lassie? Is little Billy having a seizure? By the well? In old man Johnson’s farm? 4.2 miles up the road?”

Sorry.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I think this is inappropriate discussion for this thread, but there is no proof Autism is "mental," especially with 1 in 156 children having the syndrome right now. Scientology doesn't seem to deal with mental but they do believe in physicians. Either way, this is not an appropriate thread to start a fight on religion, they have lost their child and my prayers go out to them.

It is very difficult for many parents, of all religions, to face they have an autistic child. It is a difficult syndrome for the family to deal with, some do it better than others across all socioeconomic ranges.

[Arizona Carolyn]

That story was debunked this morning. They said he had two nannies and one of the two was with him at all times (though clearly not when he was in the toilet).

[Arizona Carolyn]

I work for a physician and a lot of patients with seizure disorders do not do well, even with drugs. We have one in particular who even had surgery at UCLA to lesson the frequency and ferocity of her seizures and she still has seizures — WITH medication. I really think there is a lot of supposition here that should not be on this thread.

[Arizona Carolyn]

So is freedom of religion last time I checked. We cannot pick and choose which parts of the constitution we approve of... and we don’t know what was actally wrong with this child and how he was or was not treated. Personally I hate speculation, finger-pointing and rumor mongering.

[Arizona Carolyn]

You are getting this off gossip sites which 90% of the time are absolutely incorrect.

[Arizona Carolyn]

When you go on the autism sites you find this is more common than not — too many parents on those sites report their child was fine, had vaccinations and was never the same after... with the odds 1 in 156 your child is going to be autistic I don’t believe that is mental disease.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Dogs can be trained to warn of seizures. A friend’s niece has one and he really is able to alert the family to an impending seizure so they can prepare for it’s happening and prevent injury.

[Arizona Carolyn]

I've read Aspergers kids are able to function more socially than the autistic children.

BTW confressman Jeff Sessions has an autistic child.

[Arizona Carolyn]

A friend’s niece has one and they really do help a great deal.

[RummyChick]

I don’t give them a pass nor would I give a Jehovas witness a pass.

There was clearly something wrong with the boy. They claim he had a caretaker 24/7. It is likely the guy that you see in the pictures and the video that I posted.

It is widely reported that Travolta wanted a charity fundraiser name change before he would participate..striking the word autism.

I posted a link that indicated that some people very well informed about autism thought the boy had it.

Scientology is a dangerous cult and does harm to the participants and their children.

[Lizavetta]

I know what its like. Believe me, its enough to drive a person insane.

So do I, and you are spot on. You are a broken person until the day you die.

[Lizavetta]

Don’t apologize. That was funny.

[RummyChick]

You can believe what you want ..I don’t care.
I believe the boy had autism and I also believe that John Travolta was in denial about it and I believe Scientology played a big part in that denial.

I hope this gets talked about in a widespread fashion so that people can see what a dangerous cult this is..watching Tom Cruise and his shenanigans should be cause for people to think twice about it.

[Arizona Carolyn]

The only people who actually KNOW what was wrong with that child was his parents and some gossips in Florida didn't treat him and don't know what was going on with him. He may have had Autism he may have had something else that led to seizures and brain damage that kept him from speaking. Autism is not necessarily a mental disease, no one really knows what causes it, just that it is at epidemic levels throughout this country. It is all well and good to dislike them because they are Scientologists, that is your right, but posting gossip articles on a bereavement thread is very inappropriate.

Also Scientology does believe in doctors, it is mental care they have issues with... so it is distinct from Christian Scientists... which is also protected by our constitution.

At any rate if they were in denial about what his problems were, they are certainly not the only parents in this country who are, but while they kept him out of the media eye, they took him everywhere with them.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Actually I believe people have a right to worship as they see fit... I may not agree with their choice, but it is still their right... and I don’t believe it is my place to criticize people as like everyone I live in a glass house. There is only one person who can stand in judgment of how we live our lives.

[RummyChick]

I am not lecturing you about your belief that anyone should be free to worship as they see fit no matter the consequences..such as Taliban, the Qur’an and Sharia law, Jehovahs witness, mutilation of women in Africa based on their beliefs, etc.

So dont lecture me about my belief that he had autism as indicated by people very familiar with autism and the Travoltas.