John Travolta and his daughter, Ella, danced together to honor his late wife, Kelly Preston, who died in July after secretly battling breast cancer.
“My daughter @ella.travolta and I dancing in memory of momma,” the Pulp Fiction actor, 66, captioned a video on Instagram on Friday, August 21. “One of Kelly’s favorite things, dancing with me.”
The video showed Travolta wearing a black shirt and white pants as he twirled his 20-year-old in a restaurant while piano music played.
It was the first post the Saturday Night Fever actor has shared on social media since announcing that his wife had died on July 12 at the age of 57.
“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,” he wrote on Instagram. “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. Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered.”
Travolta added that he would 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.” In addition to Ella, the Gotti actress and her husband shared son Benjamin, 9. Their eldest child, Jett, died in 2009 after suffering a seizure at the age of 16.
A source told Us Weekly last month that Travolta is taking time off to “focus on raising the kids” as he grieves the loss of his wife of 28 years.
“John and Kelly were true partners, and he’s devastated,” a second insider told Us. “Ella and Kelly were best friends and inseparable and, of course, Benjamin worshipped his mom. Kelly was their rock, the heart and soul who kept the family united. They’re being strong, but they can’t imagine life without her.”
Ella paid tribute to her mom last month, writing in an Instagram post, “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.”
She concluded, “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.”
