# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/61 "2009-01-03T18:21:15Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > In this case, its _not_ a huge stretch. People with various conditions have died while under the “care” of Scientologists, Tom Cruise has famously said that if a Scientologist sees a car wreck they are morally obligated to stop and help out, because **only** a Scientologist can truly save the people in a wreck. If the kid _didn’t_ have a seizure disorder (and possibly autism), **most** people would not automatically assume that his parents’ religion might have contributed to his death. Given the Scientologists willingness to blame nearly everything on “evil spirits,” and their labyrinthine church structure, which can control _every_ aspect of a person’s life, its role in his death cannot be ruled out. > > Hopefully, the Travolta’s did everything parents with their means could do to keep Jett healthy, but until the autopsy is completed (and lets hope that its done by a **non** -scientologist) we cannot say for sure. Scientology certainly seems to be manipulative but most fundamentalist religious/cultlike sects are. I was raised Catholic and I am very sketchy on all of the religious dogma that’s part of my faith. If someone were to assume that I did every single thing that Catholics are _supposed_ to do they’d be very mistaken. Even among the most devoted adherents there’s often places where dogma and behavior don’t match. Unless Travolta has made declarative statements about the absolute correctness of Scientology on all fronts I think it’s an error to jump to the conclusion that he failed to provide adequate medical care for his son. That may well be the case, but I think folks can put out the torches for now and simply have sympathy for a family suffering an unimaginable loss. (I don’t particularly rate Travolta as an actor either, but I do feel sorry for what he and his family are experiencing.) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/62 "2009-01-03T18:22:38Z")
Granted, this is TMZ, but here is what they have [on the story.](http://www.tmz.com/) > [@](#): > > TMZ has learned what may have killed Jett Travolta, and it’s not what police have suggested. > > We’ve spoken with John Travolta’s lawyer and close friend, Michael McDermott, and family attorney Michael Ossi, both of whom are with John in the Bahamas. They tell TMZ it appears Jett’s fatal injury was the result of hitting his head on the bathtub, toilet seat, or both. And they say the intimation that Jett went undiscovered for hours is absolutely false. > > Police have said the last time anyone saw Jett was when he went to the bathroom on January 1. His body was discovered by nanny Jeff Kathreiin the next day at 10 AM. In fact, McDermott and Ossi say it appears Jett went back and forth to his room and the fatal injury occurred “very shortly” before Jett was found on the bathroom floor – McDermott called it a “small window of time.” > > **McDermott and Ossi tell us two nannies were present on the trip and Jeff was by his side 24/7. There was a baby monitor device by Jett’s side and there was also a chimer in the bathroom when the door opened.** > > McDermott and Ossi say it is still unclear if Jett fell to the floor as a result of a seizure or if he had a seizure after falling or slipping. There was blood on the floor of the bathroom, but “not a tremendous amount.” It appears the striking of Jett’s head was the cause of death, though it won’t be clear until the autopsy is performed Monday morning. > > Jett’s body will be embalmed Monday afternoon. There will be a local showing on Tuesday and later that day the body will be flown to Ocala, Fla. for burial. > > McDermott says both John and Kelly are night owls. John often goes to sleep at around 5 AM. But McDermott says both nannies were at the hotel and Jeff always present. The part I made bold is very interesting. Other questions, why Ocala, Florida for burial? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/63 "2009-01-03T18:30:29Z")
The Travoltas have a residence in Florida. Perhaps it is near Ocala? ---
**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, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/64 "2009-01-03T18:33:16Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > Scientology certainly seems to be manipulative but most fundamentalist religious/cultlike sects are. I was raised Catholic and I am very sketchy on all of the religious dogma that’s part of my faith. If someone were to assume that I did every single thing that Catholics are _supposed_ to do they’d be very mistaken. > > Even among the most devoted adherents there’s often places where dogma and behavior don’t match. Unless Travolta has made declarative statements about the absolute correctness of Scientology on all fronts I think it’s an error to jump to the conclusion that he failed to provide adequate medical care for his son. That may well be the case, but I think folks can put out the torches for now and simply have sympathy for a family suffering an unimaginable loss. I don’t think anyone here is saying, “Yup. Another death caused by Scientology.” but they’re all wondering if it didn’t play a factor in it. And being raised in a religion is different than _converting_ to one (as Travolta did), because converts tend to be a little more devout than most folks raised in a religion. Scientology also can exert more power on its adherents than the Catholic Church can. After all, if you have a problem with a member of the Church and decide to take the matter up in court, rather than discussing it with the priest first, the Catholic Church _won’t_ come after you. If you’re a Scientologist and you decide to take a fellow Scientologist to court (rather than using the internal Scientologist courts), the Scientologists _will_ come after you. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/65 "2009-01-03T18:33:35Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > The Travoltas have a residence in Florida. Perhaps it is near Ocala? Didn’t realize they had a home in Florida. They must, if they are going to bury their only son there. I’m sure the news will be swarming over this story for weeks to come. ---
**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, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/66 "2009-01-03T18:34:23Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > The Travoltas have a residence in Florida. Perhaps it is near Ocala? Yeah, I think so. IIRC, they’ve got a house where John can pull his jet up to the house in Florida. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/67 "2009-01-03T18:50:42Z")
Yes, that’s the one. It’s in an “airport community” where people who own their own airplanes live. Mr. Travolta keeps several there, including his big Boeing. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/68 "2009-01-03T18:52:26Z")
My 14yo niece, diagnosed within the last year with a seizure disorder, is under strict orders from her doctor to not be alone in the bathroom until they get the seizures under control- any time she’s in the bathroom, someone has to either be in there with her or just outside the door (mortifying for an otherwise “normal” 14yo). She has a time limit for showers (and showers only- no baths) and has to sing along with the radio the whole time she’s in there. I can see why there would be a chime on the bathroom door, just to let a nanny/parent know that Jett was going in or out, but a baby monitor at all times? I would think that points to either a seizure d/o not anywhere near under control, or some other health problem. What the hell is up with the Bahamas? The recent spate of celebs/pseudo-celebs dying there is going to turn it into a bad idea for a vacation. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/69 "2009-01-03T19:06:36Z")
Someone on CNN just mentioned “was he being neglected” and why didn’t anyone notice he didn’t come out of the bathroom. Uh… when I was SIXTEEN YEARS OLD, I was quite capable of going into the bathroom alone. Also, if you’ve ever lived in the house with a teenage boy, long trips to the bathroom aren’t that unusual. Plus, I don’t always tend to notice when somebody goes into or comes out of a bathroom. Anyway, there’s nobody I’d wish this on. When Saddam Hussein’s sons were killed I actually had a nanosecond of sympathy for their parents. Poor family. [Picture of Jett from last year if anyone’s interested](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/2007/06/01/KellyJettUs.jpg) and [the article](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rumor-control/spinning-the-travoltas_b_50373.html) to which that was attached. ---
**Author:** ![Elenfair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cc9497/32.png) [@Elenfair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elenfair)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/70 "2009-01-03T19:16:58Z")
Look – Scientology may be the root of many evils, but what happened here’s a tragedy or a very human, very real family. I work with “celebrities”, day in, day out. Like 'em, love 'em, hate 'em… they have their quirks, they deal with their celebrity as best they can, really. Some better than others. Travolta is generally well liked. He _is_ a family man, as far as I know. I can’t help but think this is a huge blow to someone. It’s not our place, really, to pass any judgment. Face it, we know squat. Our horses are mightily high, though. All I know is that I’m terribly sorry for the family. Losing a kid has got to be one of the hardest things to live through. Having to grieve publicly, and with people judging your every move along the way, has got to make it about a thousand-fold harder. ---
**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, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/71 "2009-01-03T19:20:40Z")
> [@Elenfair](#): > > Look – Scientology may be the root of many evils, but what happened here’s a tragedy or a very human, very real family. I agree, and this thread is really leaving an unpleasant taste in my mouth. ---
**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, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/72 "2009-01-03T19:27:04Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > CNN is _People_ now? This was on their front page. I don’t disagree that what passes for “news” today is always something important, but John Travolta is a well-known personality and a tragedy in his personal life makes headlines. I remember when Paul Newman’s son died. It was also front page news, and that was 30 years ago or so. Also when Bill Cosby’s son died – in a routine carjacking that never would have made even the local paper’s front page if he were not Bill Cosby’s son. ---
**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, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/73 "2009-01-03T19:29:30Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > I hope like hell that Scientology doesn’t consider autism a mental illness… Wouldn’t **anybody** consider autism a mental illness?! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/74 "2009-01-03T19:58:12Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Yes, that’s the one. It’s in an “airport community” where people who own their own airplanes live. Mr. Travolta keeps several there, including his big Boeing. That’s right up the road from me. **Broomstick** , you wouldn’t happen to know which one, do you, with your background in aviation? It seems like his parents did everything they could to make him safe. I find it interesting, for a 16-year-old boy, that they still needed a baby monitor and a door chime on the bathroom door. But if that’s what they needed to do, that’s what they needed to do. Also, keep in mind, from what I understand, the family had five suites in this hotel. I would imagine it’s quite easy to lose track of one of your children for a few minutes in a space that big. What a horrible horrible tragedy and I wouldn’t wish their pain on anyone. ---
**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, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/75 "2009-01-03T19:58:32Z")
> [@Elenfair](#): > > Look – Scientology may be the root of many evils, but what happened here’s a tragedy or a very human, very real family. > > I work with “celebrities”, day in, day out. Like 'em, love 'em, hate 'em… they have their quirks, they deal with their celebrity as best they can, really. Some better than others. Travolta is generally well liked. He _is_ a family man, as far as I know. I can’t help but think this is a huge blow to someone. > > It’s not our place, really, to pass any judgment. Face it, we know squat. Our horses are mightily high, though. > > All I know is that I’m terribly sorry for the family. Losing a kid has got to be one of the hardest things to live through. Having to grieve publicly, and with people judging your every move along the way, has got to make it about a thousand-fold harder. Even if Travolta _wasn’t_ a Scientologist, there’d be questions about the death _simply because he was a celebrity._ The stereotype of someone who is a celebrity is that they often have “whacky” beliefs, like Suzanne Sommers rejection of conventional treatment for breast cancer, Shirley MacClaine’s reincarnation mantra, Madonna’s conversion to Kabbalah, Michael Jackson’s collection of nuttiness, and even things like giving your child an unusual name or Angelina Jolie’s adoption of kids from other countries. All of these things give people the impression that celebs are a bit “off.” So when something bad happens to one of them, the first thing that pops into people’s minds is, “I wonder if they were a ‘normal’ person, if this would have happened to them.” I haven’t met the Travoltas or know of anyone who has, and to John’s credit, he’s **not** been out there jumping on couches or insulting people who take anti-depressants, but when you’re a celeb, you’re going to have to endure the crazy shit that comes with being a celeb. Mind you, asking if Scientology had anything to do with Jett’s death on an obscure message board located on some backwater section of the internet is **nowhere** near as bad as the photographers who swarm around celebs every time they step outside their front door, or having someone like Charles Grodin or Nancy Grace turn their entire TV program into, “I know the SOB did it, and I’m going to use my show as a bully pulpit to hound them about it for as long as I’m on the air.” _That_ is deplorable and petty, since it _directly_ affects said celebrity and their family. What we do here is _meaningless_ since they will **never** know about it, and its unlikely that their family will, either. (Lord knows we’ve said enough nasty things here about sue happy Tom Cruise, that if this board was on Scientology’s radar there would have been lawsuits aplenty.) I don’t think anyone here, no matter how much they might hate Scientology, would want the death of a child to be the result of someone’s following Scientology. However, being a Scientologist (and/or a celebrity) means that when something bad happens to you (and losing a kid certainly qualifies) people are going to ask questions like, “Did his beliefs have anything to do with this?” Nor do I think we’d limit it to celebrities, either. If I’m ever seriously mangled or killed in a car wreck, _someone_ here is going to make a comment like, “I bet if you were in a Tucker that wouldn’t have happened!” or “Aren’t you glad you weren’t riding in a Tucker, since the airbag saved your life!” I’ll no doubt find such comments funny, _provided_ that the person making them _doesn’t_ follow me around (assuming I’m still alive) and stick that comment in every thread I participate in. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/76 "2009-01-03T20:29:12Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > That’s right up the road from me. **Broomstick** , you wouldn’t happen to know which one, do you, with your background in aviation? Sorry, not in the habit of giving out other peoples’ locations or information about their personal property on the internet even if some of it probably could be found with a little work on Google. A good friend of mine happens to be one of Mr. Travolta’s flight instructors so yes, I know a little bit about his flying life and such but I’m not inclined to share more than I already do. Ditto for some other aviators that are commonly known. There’s aren’t that many pilots in the US, after all, most of us are only one or two people removed from the others. That said - Mr. Travolta _does_ have a reputation among pilots at least as being a genuinely nice and decent human being, and pretty sensible. I don’t see where his scientology beliefs would interfere with him seeking appropriate treatment for his son’s seizure disorder. As for whether the kid has autism or not - all too many people are willing to diagnose from a distance. Yes, the kid had problems. What, exactly, they were I don’t know. I don’t think anyone else here does either. There are a lot of things that can cause learning or developmental issues, with difference causes and different potentials for treatment. I have no idea what, if any, official stance scientologists have on autism and even if there is one there’s no guarantee the Travoltas adhered to it. John Travolta is not Tom Cruise, please do not just one man by another man’s brand of whacky. Really, it’s a tragedy all around. ---
**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, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/77 "2009-01-03T20:37:19Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Wouldn’t **anybody** consider autism a mental illness?! Technically, autism is a developmental spectrum disorder, not a mental illness; however, it is often mistakenly referred to as one, which causes a lot more prejudice against the syndrome than, say, epilepsy. To correct what **Mama Zappa** said, autism by itself does _not_ cause seizures – however, the syndrome is often co-morbid with a seizure disorder. (And “partially autistic” probably refers to Asperger’s Syndrome, which in 1979 would not have been known yet.) What’s troubling is that Jett wasn’t publicly diagnosed with anything except “Kawasaki Syndrome”, which does _not_ cause seizures (and typically affects younger children, not teenagers) and the only treatment he’s received is Scientology’s patented “purification rundown.” ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/78 "2009-01-03T20:41:59Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > What’s troubling is that Jett wasn’t publicly diagnosed with anything except “Kawasaki Syndrome” I fail to see why Jett Travolta’s diagnosis should be _public_ at all. It’s no one’s business but his and his family. Whatever his medical condition he is as entitled to privacy as anyone else in this nation, and legally that shouldn’t be given out by anyone but his parents, himself, or someone like a lawyer deputized to do that. I don’t consider the media to be a reliable authority on these matters. ---
**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, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/79 "2009-01-03T20:50:52Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > I fail to see why Jett Travolta’s diagnosis should be _public_ at all. It’s no one’s business but his and his family. Whatever his medical condition he is as entitled to privacy as anyone else in this nation, and legally that shouldn’t be given out by anyone but his parents, himself, or someone like a lawyer deputized to do that. If any disabled child is being mistreated or neglected due to religious matters, it should be made public. The Travoltas have already publicized their devotion to Scientology, plus they’ve described what they believe was wrong with their son (KS) and promoted Scientology’s non-medical treatments. These public statements should be closely scrutinized, not buried in the ground – if not for Jett’s sake, for the sake of _all_ children who are being medically mistreated by religiously delusional parents. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648/80 "2009-01-03T20:51:57Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Sorry, not in the habit of giving out other peoples’ locations or information about their personal property on the internet even if some of it probably could be found with a little work on Google. A good friend of mine happens to be one of Mr. Travolta’s flight instructors so yes, I know a little bit about his flying life and such but I’m not inclined to share more than I already do. Ditto for some other aviators that are commonly known. There’s aren’t that many pilots in the US, after all, most of us are only one or two people removed from the others. That’s fine. I wasn’t asking for his street address, just if you knew the name of the community. And even if I were so inclined to drive up there and try to pay my respects, I doubt I’d get past what must be a most formidable security system. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-travoltas-son-dies/479648.md?page=5)