John Travolta Laid Bare How He Keeps Himself From Falling Into 'Darkness' After Losses

It's no secret that John Travolta has faced a lot of heartache. He's lost both a beloved son and the love of his life, and he's done it all with the world's eyes on him. However, the "Grease" star has remained exceptionally, resolutely positive. As Travolta confirmed in a June 2026 interview with Italian newspaper La Repubblica, it's a choice he actively makes every day. The Oscar nominee acknowledged, "Life has certainly tested me," (via People). There's no question about that; John Travolta's late son Jett Travolta was just 16 when he had a fatal seizure during a family trip to the Bahamas, and though he and wife Kelly Preston were blessed with another little boy a few years later, she died of breast cancer in 2020. The "Pulp Fiction" star has also lost some of his closest friends, notably Olivia Newton-John, Kirstie Alley, and Lisa Marie Presley. 

Even so, "I'm not made to remain absorbed in the darkness. I can look at the darkness, but I don't choose to die in that darkness." Travolta was promoting his directorial debut, "Propeller One-Way Night Coach," which is a retelling of the first flight he ever took and the prolific actor's excitement about it, and life in general. That's something he notably discussed with "Today" as well, noting of the character, who's based on a young version of himself, "Whatever happens, he looks at the glass half full and not half empty." Likewise, on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," the "Face/Off" star explained, "He's resilient and hopeful, and everything he looks at is a glass half full." In the wake of so many heartbreaking losses, that's clearly still the case. 

John Travolta may have weathered several major tragedies, but he's also experienced a lot of joy, and the actor regularly shares sweet memories of those times, alongside his gratitude for all of it, on Instagram. In one post about the success of "Propeller One-Way Night Coach," he thanked his fans sincerely. "I want to thank each and every one of you, in all the countries around the world, for being so supportive [...] and it's really because of you that it's number one, so thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you very much," the Oscar nominee smiled. 

Travolta also shared appreciation for his fans in a touching Christmas message that was posted in 2025. "Not a day goes by where I don't appreciate that you've given me the life you've given me," he pointed out. Of course, the "Saturday Night Fever" star has alluded to some of his heartaches on social media too, regularly sharing old pictures of his wife, son, and late friends. "My dearest Jetty, I miss you more than words can say. I think about you everyday," he admitted in one such devastating tribute to his late son. 

"Dearest Kelly, you brought into my life three of the most wonderful children I have ever known. Thank you. We love and miss you," Travolta wrote in honor of the first Mother's Day since Kelly Preston's death. Still, the prolific actor always maintains that glimmer of faith that everything will turn out all right in the end. In Travolta's emotional tribute to Olivia Newton-John, he penned, "We will see you down the road and we will all be together again." He shared the same sentiments in his tributes to Kirstie Alley and Lisa Marie Presley. We're sending him love right back.