John Travolta Navigates Life Incredibly at 68—Here's How
John Travolta is an incredible role model. One of our favorite actors has given the world so many on-screen memories that are still iconic to this day, from his on-point disco moves as Tony Manero in "Saturday Night Fever" to his role as total bad boy Danny Zuko in "Grease," which was a vibe so representative of the late 70s. Aside from Danny Zuko crushing it in his black leather jacket, shades, and cool stride, John Travolta has proven to be, well, a total legend in his own time. The star has also endured much sadness and loss, and his positive zest for living life to its fullest is inspiring. Travolta navigates life's journey incredibly at 68. Read on to learn more.
John Travolta has persevered through his tragedies
At 68 years of age, Travolta has experienced success, along with much sadness and tragedy. He endured several devastating losses in life, including his son, his wife, and most recently a dear friend. Speaking with Esquire España about loss, the celeb revealed, "I learned that mourning someone, is something personal," adding, "Mourning is individual and experiencing your own journey is what can lead to healing. This is different from someone else's journey" (via Fox News).
Everyone copes with tragedy in a different way. Travolta has picked up the pieces and plunged forward, saying, "The first thing you should do when you experience grief is to go to a place where you can mourn, without any interference," and, "If I die tomorrow, the last thing I want to see is that everyone around is sunk."
Travolta's son, Jett Travolta, died tragically from a fatal seizure at 16 years old while vacationing in the Bahamas at a family home. His wife, Kelly Preston, passed away in 2020 from breast cancer, after a battle that spanned two years. Most recently, Travolta's "Grease" co-star and close friend Olivia Newton-John died after an over-30-year struggle with breast cancer.
Travolta recently shared a photo of his co-star on Instagram with his 4.4M followers. He paired it with such heartwarming words, writing, "My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better. Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John!" The comments showed nothing other than love and support.
When it comes to coping with pain and bereavement in life, John Travolta has taught us how important it is to mourn and heal. Read on to learn how the actor has moved forward.
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Not only does Travolta own an impressive jet collection—he can fly them, too
You heard that right. This star loves everything aviation and started flying when he was just 15 years old. He's been a qualified pilot for more than 40 years. Travolta revealed to CBS, "Aviation has always bailed me out of anything in my mind that is blue," adding, "I can look through an airline schedule and brochure and cheer up."
The celeb recently got his Boeing 737 license, which he said in an IG post was "a very proud moment" for him. Travolta also has 707 and 747 licenses under his belt. On top of that? He owns more than a few jets in his private collection, including a Boeing 727, a Bombardier Challenger 601, a Boeing 707, and three Gulfstream jets.
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Scientology has helped him navigate devastating hardships in his life
The actor has practiced Scientology since 1975 and had credited the organization for helping him get through difficult periods in life. He said of Scientology, "I've been brought through storms that were insurmountable, and (Scientology has) been so beautiful for me, that I can't even imagine attacking it."
The "Welcome Back, Kotter" star is always keeping things fresh
Fans will always remember and love Vinnie Barbarino, the character played by Travolta in "Welcome Back, Kotter" when his career first started. The sitcom aired from 1975 to 1979 and revolved around a group of students—aka the "Sweathogs"—who attended James Buchanan High, where their teacher, Mr. Kotter, returned to make a difference at his alma mater. Vinnie Barbarino had long, dark hair and total look of the 70s. He truly made John Travolta's presence known way beyond the class of James Buchanan High.
More recently, Travolta was on the big screen in 2021 starring with his co-star from "Pulp Fiction," Bruce Willis, in the movie "Paradise City."
