Skip to main contentSkip to footer

More heartbreak for John Travolta after marking late wife Kelly Preston’s birthday

The actress passed away earlier this year

john travolta kelly preston
Diane Shipley
Senior Online Writer
Share this:

John Travolta has had a difficult year, following the death of his beloved wife Kelly Preston dying in July.

Now it has been reported that the star's nephew, Sam Travolta Jr, sadly died last month, although the news was only made public this week.

The cause of death is not known, but the 52-year-old was the son of John's brother, Sam Travolta, who is also an actor.

MORE: John Travolta's daughter posts rare childhood photo with late mum Kelly Preston

He had previously opened up about being close to his uncle, revealing that the Grease star, who is the youngest of six, gave him a $1,800 allowance to supplement his income.

WATCH: John Travolta and daughter Ella dance in memory of Kelly Preston

Speaking to the National Enquirer in 2015, the writer said: "I’m a struggling screenwriter living in a tiny one-bedroom apartment, so John’s money helps."

Generous John, 66, lost his wife two years after she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 55.

Tuesday would have been her 57th birthday, and the star shared a heartfelt tribute to Kelly on social media in honour of the occasion.

Taking to Instagram, John posted a photo from the couple's wedding day alongside an image of his mother and father on their big day.

john travolta kelly preston walking© Photo: Getty Images

John and Kelly were married for 19 years

In the caption, he wrote: "Happy Birthday hon! I found this photo of my mom and dad's wedding. It was nice to see ours alongside theirs. All my love, John."

The couple, who tied the knot in 1991, shared three children: Ella, 20, Benjamin, nine, and Jett, who tragically died in 2009 aged just 16.

RELATED: John Travolta reveals how his family are dealing with devastating loss of Kelly Preston

READ: Kelly Preston's brother breaks silence on her tragic death

The late actress was perhaps best known for starring alongside Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire, but she also appeared in Space Camp, What A Girl Wants, Twins and For the Love of The Game.

Her last role came in 2018 film Gotti, where she played Victoria Gotti, the wife of Mafia boss John Gotti, who was portrayed by her husband.

Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.

More Celebrity News

See more