John Travolta's 16 year old son died. Poor guy was born into a family where he didn't stand a chance. Hopefully he is at rest. From msnbc.com:
NASSAU, Bahamas - The teenage son of actor John Travolta died suddenly on Friday during a family vacation in the Bahamas, according to the family’s lawyer.
Jett Travolta, 16, suffered a seizure at his family’s vacation home at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel on Grand Bahama Island, attorney Michael Ossi said. According to Access Hollywood, Jett fell and hit his head on the bathtub in his hotel room.
Attempts were made to revive him, but he died at the scene, Ossi said.
and from gawker.com:
Travolta and his actress wife Kelly Preston had their lawyers bat down reports that Jett had been diagnosed with autism. Travolta vehemently denied that Jett suffered from the mysterious ailment, blaming his health problems on a disorder called Kawasaki Syndrome. A disorder that can, apparently, lead to heart disease.
What exactly is this Kawasaki Syndrome—the rare disorder that John Travolta had said his son had suffered from before dying today at the age of sixteen?
According to the Mayo Clinic's website, it's an uncommon disorder that affects children, "that causes inflammation in the walls of small- and medium-sized arteries throughout the body, including the coronary arteries." It comes with a variety of unpleasant symptoms, including diarrhea and lots of skin peeling. But in most cases children suffering from Kawasaki Syndrome make complete recoveries after receiving proper treatment. However, Jett Travolta—whose parents described him as a Kawasaki sufferer amid reports that the boy was actually autistic—has had medical problems for years.
*personally, when I hear seizure, I think epilepsy.....but I'm not a doctor. I call shenanigans, there's something else that went on here that isn't being released, but I don't know what*
and I just found this blind item from blind gossip:
Family Will Face Medical and Legal Scrutiny
Which celebrity family is soon going to come under serious attack from both law enforcement and the medical community? A death in their family may have been preventable had the family sought proper medical treatment for the victim. Instead, they publicly denied the deceased’s true condition, and privately refused treatment that could have prevented the tragic death. Two District Attornies are now consulting with medical experts and the Coroner to determine jurisdiction and to see if charges can be brought against those who refused treatment.
Update 1/3/08:
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 Kathrein 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.
McDermott tells us a hotel manager was first on scene with Jeff and the two of them administered CPR. John came in shortly thereafter and John took over for a "substantial period of time [and] was performing CPR and continued that until EMT came and took over."
*I still say BS.....It just doesn't sound right. Obvs Jeff wasn't always present all the time or this would'nt have happened. This part really bothers me: 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 Kathrein the next day at 10 AM.
Plus, Mcdermott and Ossi are lawyers, not doctors. I don't believe lawyers where medical affairs are concerned. The timeline is critical here and I am anxious for the full report.*
