Kelly Preston Cancels Speech: 'Too Soon' To Talk About Jett's Death

LOS ANGELES — Kelly Preston is pulling out of the annual Women's Conference, where she was to break her silence about the death of her teenage son.

The actress said in a statement Friday that she is "still deeply in the process of healing, and it's just too soon."

Preston was set to participate in a panel on grief at the annual event hosted by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver.

Preston and her husband, John Travolta, have kept low profiles since their 16-year-old son, Jett, died following a seizure in January.

The Women's Conference will be held Oct. 26-27 in Long Beach, Calif.

Comments

[roblabrousse]

Why does she have to break her silence or even talk about her son's death ? The world isn't panting for her tragedy to be told. Of course we understand the depth of pain she and her husband must feel. But who ever said she needs to share it with the world?. And for crying out loud stop using it as some sort of ongoing, crucial story line. This constant update about Kelly Preston and John Travolta not being able to share their pain, then keep it to yourselves and heal. There's plenty of pain to go around in this world, just because yours is "celebrity pain" doesn't make it any more special than anyone else's. It's almost being turned into a joke. No one will ever need to know how much you have suffered. But stop making it into some sort of news item over and over again. It's just so unattractive to seek out sympathy this way and to use this situation for any sort of attention continuously. Write a book or article. Offer something of yourself to a cause in the name of your son. But stop the media baiting.

[avrillohan]

oh No Word to say.
by
http://general-jobs.blogspot.com

[demfriend]

My daughter Anatia died 22 years ago on Aug 24 and I still have times which I am unable to discuss her life or death without going beyond tearful. When anyone losses a child especially to trauma and way too much drama it is compounded and too many sharks calling themselves "media reps" are more than happy to use any words or even expression to sell their story or pictures for mega money. A family or child doesn't have to be famous for the sharks to circle but when the famous and in the light put on some by the world stage and media during their life and then death it becomes bigger with a life of it's own. I tell others who have lost their kid to take their time and they have a right to hold their emotions to them as long as they want/need to. The people surrounding parents who have lost their child are too ready to tell the parents to move on or it's time to get on with life and it is those people I rate along with the sharks as vultures more than willing to push parents too hard to get back to where those who are not the parents can feel "comfortable" by not having the parents visably grieve.....

[alieninvader]

You just reminded me why I never pursued journalism, despite my love for it. I didn't have the ability to be one of those people sticking a microphone in a grieving parent's face. People grieve in their own very personal ways, and no one should force something otherwise.

[roblabrousse]

Don't you think that the Travolta's have a little to do with their presence in the press?
Don't you think they could have put out a final statement to the media saying they would appreciate privacy until they wish to discuss it? How many parents suffer the loss of their kids in this country each year. It's like these people are the only ones. What do you think Kelly Preston was going to talk about at this conference? Her life in the movies? What makes her sorrow such a front page story this late after the passing of their son? I think there's a level of self-indulgence here. I find it distasteful and remarkably disrespectful to the memory of their deceased son. And just in general, in the face of a person dying it diminishes the solemnity of this process. Do something wondrous in memory of the boy but stop the self -pity in the media.

[DevonTexas]

I don't think there were ever be a right time when someone can share their grief at the loss of a child. She did the right thing.

[AlwaysFair]

My family and I were just talking about when my father died of a massive heart attack over 20 years ago yet we can recall everything that happened on that day as if it was just yesterday. We agreed that time helps but we will never forget that horrible horrible day and if time stood still we'd be in big trouble. My condolences to the Travolta family; take your time..

[seebee11]

Show respect, people and hope you don't have to walk in their shoes.

[Faxus]

I would prefer silence.

[mommyatty]

Love and peace to the Travolta family.

[Leewil40]

This http://www.people.com/people/archive/covers/gallery/0,,20200341_20619329,00.html was how they "dealt" in April but NOW it's "too soon" to talk about it.

[Solja]

Come on now. They never said a word in that article. Friends spoke to People Magazine, not either one of the couple. You didn't read the article, obviously.

Try this, and read it this time.
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20277005,00.html

[KristenfromMA]

The guilt mush be crushing.

[Leewil40]

Well, it was NOT "too soon" to have a nice, pensive "People" cover a while back. What's the difference? Maybe she's afraid of questions from "real" people in and around the forum.

[Solja]

Hateful. They never said a word in that article. Friends spoke to People Magazine, not either one of the couple. You didn't read the article, obviously. You only looked at the pictures. Shame on you.

Try this, and read it this time.
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20277005,00.html

[BethA]

Good post

[Mirabai305]

You do know the Travoltas don't have any power over who and what People magazine puts on their cover. You know that, right?

[llstudent]

Yeah I don't blame Kelly Preston, one year and a half is not very long with this kind of death. My heart goes out to her and John Travolta, very sad.

[Solja]

A year and a half? That was this year, in Jan.

[laddieluv]

I also send hugs, John, Kelly and Ella Blu.

Grief is personal.

And seemingly forever.

Grief is the price we pay for loving.

Take care of your family.

With love..........

[takeyourballandgohome]

I lost an infant in 1968 and I still keep it within myself. I cannot attend any event, ever, I cannot speak with family. Sounds like I am weird, no, I live a very normal life w/o any depressions, etc. It's just never not there.

[CR46]

Never lost one of my own, but lost a medically fragile foster baby. Unfortunately her birth mom took many drugs and she was born with a variety of problems, though she had never seized before the night she died. We were at the hospital within 15 min and on the way I had given her cpr, but they could do nothing when we got there. We had been hoping and it looked like we were going to be able to adopt her. I think of little Cassy everyday, even 20 yrs later and rarely talk about it. As an RN I had seen people die before, but Cassy was different. There is nothing wrong with you keeping your baby close in your heart it just means you loved your baby, and if you chose not to have conversations with others about it , its okay :)

[llstudent]

So sorry for your loss and pain.

[onwisconsin]

I lost my only pregnancy in 1989. I reared two of my nephews (my eldest sister is bipolar) and my adopted daughter (who I got as a preteen) but when mother's day, the day I lost her, and her due date roll around, I still cry. I'm not usally a crier. I'm not usally depressed.

It's just hard. Very few people know that side of me. Very few people would understand. I used to go to baby showers and sit there with a smile pasted on the outside and a lump in my throat. I would go home and cry in the bathroom afterward.

My own mother doesn't get it (she had 4 pregnancies and never really wanted kids). The only one who really does is my next older sister who had the exact same thing happen to her. Even though she was eventually able to get pregnant, she understands in a way that no one else does. It's unspoken between us but I know she gets it.

You're not weird and you're not alone.

[liquidzen]

Wow.....You are such a beautiful human being............

[hotmama1225]

As a parent who has lost a teenager, grief has no time limit. It has been 6 years for me and just know that it never goes away. You have to find a way to keep going but it never goes away. Take your time John and Kelly. You will know when you are ready.