John Travolta returned to Instagram for the first time since the death of his wife, actress Kelly Preston, by sharing a heartwarming video with their daughter, Ella Bleu Travolta. In the new clip, the father-daughter duo dances together, noting how dancing was one of Preston’s “favorite” things. Preston died on July 12 after a two-year battle with breast cancer, which the family did not publicly disclose before her death.
On Friday, Travolta shared the brief video, which appears to be filmed at a restaurant. The two danced under a purple light, with Travolta twirling 20-year-old Ella at one point. “My daughter [Ella] and I dancing in memory of momma. One of Kelly’s favorite things, dancing with me,” Travolta wrote in the caption. The video has over 17,000 comments from friends and fans, many of whom sent their condolences to the Travolta family. “These are the moments that breathe life into feelings of despair. Kelly is right there with you both,” one fan wrote. “The strength in this moment is unimaginable.”
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Preston and Travolta married in 1991 after meeting on the set of The Experts in 1987. The couple had three children, Ella, 10-year-old Benjamin, and Jett, who died in 2009 at age 17. When announcing Preston’s death on Instagram, Travolta noted Preston “fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many” and he thanked the medical professionals at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
“Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered,” Travolta wrote. “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. All my love, JT.”
Ella also shared a tribute to her mother, calling Preston “courageous, strong, beautiful and loving.” She thanked Preston 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.”
Preston was best known for her roles in From Dusk Till Dawn, Jerry Maguire, Sky High, For Love of the Game, Jack Frost, and The Last Song. She starred alongside Travolta in several films, including Battlefield Earth, Old Dogs, and Gotti. Her last film was Off the Rails, an upcoming British film co-starring Judi Dench.
