# John Travolta's Son Dies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 3, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648 "2009-01-03T00:12:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/1 "2009-01-03T00:12:53Z")
Story [here](http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/02/obit.jett.travolta/index.html). He apparently hit his head in the bath tub after having a seizure. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/2 "2009-01-03T00:23:30Z")
I wonder if his parents were having Jett “treated” by Scientology methods, or if he was under the care of a legit doctor for his seizure disorder. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/3 "2009-01-03T00:24:12Z")
Very sad. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/4 "2009-01-03T00:47:10Z")
Rumor is that their son was actually autistic, but their Scientologist beliefs prevented them from getting him proper treatment or even diagnosing it as such. Don’t know if that had anything to do with the death, but I’m sure their religious beliefs will be under intense scrutiny in the coming weeks. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/5 "2009-01-03T01:00:31Z")
it is always horrible when parents bury a child. very sad. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/6 "2009-01-03T01:02:53Z")
I’ve never thought of seizures as potentially lethal, but I guess they can be. Sympathies and best wishes to all epileptics and seizure-prone persons – and, of course, to the Travolta family. ---
**Author:** ![timbicile59](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@timbicile59](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/timbicile59)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/7 "2009-01-03T01:06:53Z")
Mundane, yup Poinless, ditto. [http://omg.yahoo.com/news/john-travoltas-16-year-old-son-dies-in-bahamas/17122?nc](http://omg.yahoo.com/news/john-travoltas-16-year-old-son-dies-in-bahamas/17122?nc) ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/8 "2009-01-03T01:08:11Z")
I don’t get how the parents connected whatever Jett’s developmental disability was to his having had Kawasaki disease and, as a pediatrician, fear some public misunderstanding of that disorder based on that. In any case yes sad. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/9 "2009-01-03T01:09:30Z")
Wow, I have never heard of Jett Travolta and I don’t particularly care for his dad (it’s the scientology thing), but losing a kid has got to just suck unbelievably. Sorry to hear it. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/10 "2009-01-03T01:10:03Z")
so sad. No matter how I feel about someone, losing a child is simply the worst tragedy imaginable. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/11 "2009-01-03T01:23:21Z")
I’ve heard rumors that [Jett Travolta had autism](http://www.zimbio.com/Autism/articles/14/Autism+and+Denial), but his parents were in denial about it due to their affiliation with the Church of Scientology. Can’t help but wonder if there’s a connection there. ---
**Author:** ![oroko\_oyaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@oroko\_oyaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oroko_oyaro)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/12 "2009-01-03T01:32:05Z")
Not much info but sounds to me like the kid was neglected.Sad, considring all that money! ---
**Author:** ![oroko\_oyaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@oroko\_oyaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oroko_oyaro)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/13 "2009-01-03T01:37:19Z")
Sounds to me like the poor kid was neglected.Dunno whether its 'cause of religion or too much mulla. Whatever it is ,it still sucks!Dad may still be living the 'pulp fiction" life. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/14 "2009-01-03T02:07:55Z")
I heard a CNN anchor ask a reporter: “Any word on the parents’ reaction?” :rolleyes: It’s bad enough to lose a child without the additional pain of media attention. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/15 "2009-01-03T02:25:03Z")
It seems like the whole “had a seizure and drowned in the bath” thing seems to come up pretty often. I haven’t had a bath since i was like 4, you’d think people with any seizure prone disease would stick to showers. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/16 "2009-01-03T02:29:46Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > It seems like the whole “had a seizure and drowned in the bath” thing seems to come up pretty often. I haven’t had a bath since i was like 4, you’d think people with any seizure prone disease would stick to showers. I think that most people don’t drown. They are taking a shower in a shower/bathtub and hit their head when the fall. Maybe they should stick to stall showers if possible. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/17 "2009-01-03T02:30:29Z")
The Travoltas have stated publicly that Jett had a number of health issues (Kawasaki syndrome, a metabolic disorder, a seizure disorder). It is very possible that a seizure could cause him to strike his head. Tragic and awful for he family. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/18 "2009-01-03T02:31:03Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I heard a CNN anchor ask a reporter: “Any word on the parents’ reaction?” :rolleyes: > > It’s bad enough to lose a child without the additional pain of media attention. They get this media attention because people watch those retarded stories, and buy those retarded magazines, and start threads like this about dead people who happen to be related to famous people. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/19 "2009-01-03T02:32:12Z")
> [@oroko\_oyaro](#): > > Sounds to me like the poor kid was neglected.Dunno whether its 'cause of religion or too much mulla. Whatever it is ,it still sucks!Dad may still be living the 'pulp fiction" life. I’ve never read anything to indicate the boy was neglected, nor that Travolta lives a wild life. By most (if not all) accounts, they have a pretty normal home life (for $cientologists, anyway). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/20 "2009-01-03T02:33:38Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > They get this media attention because people watch those retarded stories, and buy those retarded magazines, and start threads like this about dead people who happen to be related to famous people. and then other people post to them! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648.md?page=2)