John Travolta Recounts Jett's Death In Bahamian Court

NASSAU, Bahamas — John Travolta said Wednesday he tried desperately to save the life of his seizure-prone son and made perhaps his first public description of the boy as autistic as he testified in the trial of two people accused of trying to blackmail him.

With his wife Kelly Preston looking on inside the Nassau courtroom, Travolta said that he performed CPR on his son after a nanny alerted him the teen had fallen ill at a family vacation home on Grand Bahama island. Jett Travolta later died from a seizure.

"I ran downstairs with my wife to help my son," Travolta said.

Travolta is the star witness at the trial of two people – paramedic Tarino Lightbourne and former Bahamas senator Pleasant Bridgewater – who are accused of trying to extort $25 million from the movie star. Both defendants pleaded innocent to extortion charges at the trial that began Monday in this island chain off the Florida coast.

Travolta testified that he and Preston were awakened by a nanny around 10:15 a.m. on Jan. 2, the day of Jett's death. Travolta said when he went downstairs, another caretaker was doing chest compressions and he began administering breathing help.

Travolta also said – apparently for the first time in public – that 16-year-old Jett was autistic, confirming speculation that had swirled for years. The developmental disorder is frequently accompanied by seizures.

"He was autistic. He suffered from a seizure disorder," Travolta told the jury when asked about his son's condition.

The actor said Jett suffered seizures every five to 10 days. He said the seizures would last 45 seconds to a minute and Jett typically slept for 12 hours after each one.

Travolta, 55, who has kept a low profile since Jett's death. He skipped promotional events this summer for his latest film, "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3." He thanked his co-stars on his Web site for giving him time to grieve through their efforts to publicize the film.

Travolta arrived the Supreme Court building in an entourage of sport utility vehicles for his first appearance at the trial. Security was noticeably heavier than previous days with Bahamas police officers surrounding the courthouse.

Police say the alleged scheme involved a document related to Jett's treatment. It would have released emergency responders from liability if the family refused an ambulance but police said that did not happen.

A police officer testified Tuesday that Travolta signed the release because he initially wanted his son taken to the airport instead of a local hospital.

A nine-person jury was expected to hear from a total of 14 witnesses, including Travolta.

Comments

[Warthog]

Anyone who has done CPR on a loved one realizes how terrifying this ordeal can be. My heart goes out to the Travoltas.

[Hydra8]

The one thing you don't understand is that "no medication" can save people that have seizures -even with epilepsy the seizures can kill the person, no amount of drugs can cure seizures. The seizure caused a fall and that is how he died, not from neglect or religion.

I had a friend who had epileptic seizures every few minutes whether they were minor seizures or larger ones where she would fall to the floor and this is what happened to Jett. The worst thing that happens is they fall and injure themselves which can be fatal. No medication can prevent this-it is unfortunately the disease itself and there are no cures.

The Bahamas is not a place for tourists, their hospitals are poor, understaffed and doctors are untrained and hired from Haiti. John was trying to get his son to Miami for professional care, and that was the right thing to do, I been to a Bahama Hospital -let me tell you -you would not want to be there.
Leave this man alone to seek the final justice in this case of greed and crime.
The case is about extortion -not whether Jedd died of neglect because he did not.

[ColoradoDan]

Many think that religion played no part. Until one reads how different this one is that is.

http://www.amazon.com/Complex-Insider-Exposes-Covert-Scientology/dp/1903582849/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253876966&sr=1-4

Amazing book from an insider. Check out the buyer's feedback alone. 5 stars.

[katieandtom]

i think that the travoltas clearly loved their son very much. for anyone to judge them after their sons death just rubs salt in a very deep wound. everyone has a right to his or her personal beliefs.

its terrible that john travolta is obviously still in very deep mourning, yet he has to go into court and recount such a terrible experience in front of others. just terrible. i hope they slam the door shut on the two "alleged" extortionists.

[hulagirrrl]

It is not natural for a parent to bury his/her child, I am saddened every day when I read about another child dying of a disease or being killed in the god forsaken war. Sad, because our children should bury us.

[moodygirl]

Losing a child is a terrible tragedy. I don't know what these parents did with regard to anti-seisure medication, but watching a boy have that many seizures and then being totally out of it for up to 12 hours can't be easy. If a religion (cult)preaches against proper medical treatment for children they should be culpable if harm is done. Adults have the right to decide for themselves, but children should be protected from damage due to the indoctrination of their parents.

[lovbug]

Sounds like Jett was having a tough time with his illness. I only hope the Travoltas was getting him the appropriate medical care he needed. Sometimes people get so caught up in these religions that don't believe in medical treatments and end up making poor choices. i.e., the little boy that had cancer, if a judge didn't issue a court order for him to get treatment, he wouldn't be cancer free today.

[Hydra8]

The case is not about his son's medical treatments and we don't know if John gave his son the medication I am assuming he did or he would not survive. I had a friend who had epileptic seizures almost every minute of the day. The medication did keep them alive for a while but a massive seizure can kill at any time and it did, my friend did not survive the illness. Seizures in these illnesses can be deadly and the medications do not guarantee survival.
He always was in God's hands - as we all.

The trial is not about the Parents giving their son medication - it's about the extortion.

[Angry23]

Why is it that there are so many people with something nasty to say? Anytime anything is posted about anyone on the Huffpost, I can be sure that I'll read some vicious remark about the subject of the article. I'm sick of it. We're supposed to be progressives so let's try to act like it. The fact is we really don't know the details of this case, at least I don't. Unless you're an insider to the Travolta family and know exactly how their beliefs affected their decisions in treating your son, you have no right to say anything here except that you are sorry for their loss. If this was an article about Scientology that would be another issue. You can't just attack people based on something they do you don't believe in every time they come up in any context at all.

[Agentlady007]

If this is really what you wish, don't you think it might help if you change your screen name first?

[dct1999]

There's nothing wrong with a little righteous anger.

[Choyce2020]

Scientology does not recognize either autism or post partum depression as treatable illnesses? Then, it should not be surprising that these same people who allow their religion to overshadow & to dictate their health issues are sometimes later doomed. Regardless, of how the Travolta’s lost their beloved son...they are in deep mourning & suffering greatly b/c their beloved son is lost to them forever. They have my deepest sympathies.

[cdchicago]

I admire this guy for the incredible adversity he has endured in life and persevered over. But next to Eric Clapton, this is one white guy who has the right to sing the blues. Whe he is up he is way, way up, like marriage to Kelly, but the pits are way , way down for him and it takes special guy to push through it all.

I lost a son 26 years ago. he was only eight months old. I can honestly say, I never got over it. It haunts me to this day. You find a way to live, you never forget, you never quite fully recover, the hole is unfillable.

Asking him to relive it is worse then asking him to sever his own right hand. Now he has two horrible flash backs to shake off. I only hope this time next year he is the busiest man in Hollywood. Terribly, dizzingly busy. It will help.

I also hope the press lets this story go, never ask him about it and leave his family alone.

[katieandtom]

dear cd, your post is "right on". i am so sorry for your loss and you are right 26 years ago can still feel like yesterday. sending you love from nc. katieandtom

[mcmutter]

Scientology is one sad form of self delusion for the newly rich.

[jlgcox]

It is so sad for the Travolta's to see their son die again, but with the public watching!!!

[ChrisRose]

@csavage; what a cold and heartless comment.

[Bitsko]

File this under None Of Our Business.

[barkrudedog69]

Jett had long suffered from seizures, convulsing and losing consciousness, and his medication that once worked had stopped, family lawyers and friends told TMZ Sunday:


As reported on the HP.

[BlueZoo]

This must be terribly difficult for John Travolta but I applaud his sense of what is right and wrong that led him into this courtroom. The defendants' actions were inexcusable and they should pay for the terrible harm they did the Travoltas by trying to extort them at such a traumatic time in their lives.

[misspoptart]

No one can argue with the fact that John & Kelly Travolta loved their child and did what they thought was best for Jett. The medical decisions they made or did not make should not be judged by anyone! I have 2 kids on the Autism spectrum and can't imagine losing one of them in this way. May God bless the Travolta family.

[lovbug]

I agree. But it's time for closure. Those people did not cause their son's death. He died from complications so it's time to let him r.i.p.