John Travolta Is His Kids' 'Hero' — He Raised Them as a Single Dad after His Wife's Death

Since losing his wife, Kelly Preston, Hollywood star John Travolta has morphed into the best version of the father he could be for his two fast-growing kids.

Star actress Kelly Preston's passing sent shockwaves through the Hollywood fandom and dealt a heavy blow to her family with fellow star John Travolta. Preston passed on, leaving her husband and their two kids surviving her.

After her death, John switched into both mom and dad roles, making sure to be there for his children as much as he could and raising them to be good people. Here's a look through how the star actor has been handling his role ever since.

KELLY PRESTON'S HEALTH BATTLE

Kelly Preston's long battle with breast cancer ended on July 12, 2020, at 57 years old. The star battled terminal illness with her family right by her side for two years.

However, they had kept it from the world as Preston preferred to fight her battles in private. At the time of death, Preston was survived by her spouse, 20-year-old daughter, Ella, and nine-year-old son, Benjamin.

Like John, Preston was a force to reckon with in Hollywood. The Hawaii native wielded a career of over three decades and starred in movies including "Jerry Maguire," "For Love of the Game," "Mischief," and "Gotti."

Once in a 2014 interview, John recalled the excruciating pain and sorrow that came with losing his son.

INSIDE JOHN'S FATHERHOOD AFTER HER DEATH

John and Preston made a beautiful family of three children after their 1991 wedding ceremony. Just two months after their wedding, Preston conceived and gave birth to their first child, Jett, in 1992.

Ella's birth followed his birth in 2000. Jett sadly passed on at the age of 16 in 2009 after hitting his head on the bathtub during a seizure. John and Preston then welcomed their last child, Benjamin, the following year.

After his wife's passing, John pulled his weight heavily, investing in family and fatherhood. He has been a supportive dad, giving all he had to see that his kids fulfilled their dreams.

John's Instagram page carries ample evidence of how he goes all out for his kids. Benjamin, who is now in his teenage years, is quite passionate about parkour, and his dad is proud of him.

HOW JOHN SHOWS SUPPORT FOR HIS CHILDREN

Benjamin is in the stage where he explores different fun activities, and according to John, the youngster is into "gymnastics, tennis, and the computer world."

Ella has decided to follow in her parents' footsteps. Speaking about her, John shared to People that the young lady was "her own person" and was "gracious, generous, poised and gorgeous."

When Benjamin adopted a dog back in March 2022, the proud father took to his Instagram page to share the news. The star dad expressed his son's compassion in the sweetest way.

He also flaunted Ella's entertainment expertise on his page, showing she was not just into acting but also music. Ella released her song, ''Dizzy," in January 2022, and her happy dad wasted no time promoting it on his social media page.

For Father's Day in 2021, the "Pulp Fiction" star shared a selfie with his children while pouring all his love into the caption. John captioned:

"It is a privilege to be the father of these two beautiful children."

In October of the same year, Ella returned the favor, sharing a hearty photo of her and her dad for Father-Daughter Day. She expressed her affection for John while referring to him as "my hero."

More of her displays of affection were displayed on Father's Day when the "The Poison Rose" actress dedicated a paragraph to praising John. She penned:

"Daddy, You make parenting look so easy, though it not always is. You make everyday better than the one before it. You bring joy to us when we are down. You are our best friend and we love you to the moon and back around."

HOW JOHN REMEMBERS HIS LOVED ONES

One year after Preston's death, John took to his Instagram page to celebrate her first posthumous birthday. He shared a sweet photo of her while showing how he and the kids missed her.

John, who never misses remembrance of his beloved late family members, also celebrated the actress on her first posthumous Mother's Day. His tribute on Instagram included two family photos and a soulful Mother's Day message.

John always remembered the late Jett every year during his birthdays. The star dad often shares images of his lookalike son, noting how he often thought about him.

Once, in a 2014 interview, John recalled the excruciating pain and sorrow that came with losing his son. During his lifetime, Jett had been autistic and prone to seizures.

After his untimely death, John stated that it was "the worst thing that has ever happened" in his life. The star dad was so devastated that he didn't think he could survive the pain. It took a long while and ample support from the people of Scientology for the pain to ebb.

The 68-year-old "Grease" star also dealt with a difficult period after his wife died. Benjamin, who took her death hard, was scared that the actor would also pass on. In an interview with Kevin Hart on "Hart to Heart," John explained how he handled the situation.

He had pulled Benjamin aside, comforted him, and detailed the dynamics of life. He explained that death was inevitable, and nobody knew who was next. He addressed his son:

"So let's look at it like it's part of life. You don't know exactly. You just do your best at trying to live the longest you can."

INSIDE ELLA'S ACTING CAREER

Ella's entertainment career has promising potential, and her family, especially her dad, are here to see her flourish. The young adult also draws inspiration from John himself.

When the pair featured on "The Poison Rose," Ella couldn't overemphasize how cool it felt to work with her dad. She described how working with her dad was fulfilling. Ella stated:

"He is the best mentor that I could ever ask for and having him there was just a gift."

John has also shared that Ella's talents come with her well-behaved nature, and he has nothing to worry about in that area. He once told People:

"She is her own person. She is gracious, generous, poised, graceful and gorgeous. I don't know how she came to be, and I don't take any credit other than just adoring her."

John is a dad who staunchly believes kids should be able to express themselves without inhibitions, and this is exemplary in his parenting. He stated that children had rights and should be given a chance to speak and share their ideas.