The legendary Hollywood star John Travolta had his first birthday this week since his beloved wife Kelly Preston passed away last summer. To mark the occasion, his 20 year-old daughter Ella took to Instagram to post a touching tribute to him.
“Happy Birthday to the most incredible man I have ever known. You are not only the best Dad ever, but you are also my best friend,” Ella wrote alongside a photo of herself with her father and her 10 year-old brother Benjamin. “Thank you for raising us, helping us and loving us and thank you for all of the good you do every day.”
She added that “the world is so lucky to have you and so are we. I love you Daddy. I had the best time celebrating your birthday with you yesterday. ❤️❤️❤️.”
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Travolta himself celebrated his 67th birthday by posting a video to his own Instagram page.
“Hey there, I just wanted to thank you all for the incredible birthday wishes yesterday,” he said, speaking from what looks to be an airport. “And to also thank you for the 4.6 billion views on the Scotts Slide hashtag… I can’t thank you enough.”
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Fans were stunned when Travolta announced Preston’s death back in July, as she had not even revealed publicly that she was sick. Instead, she kept her two-year battle with breast cancer private.
“It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my beautiful wife Kelly has lost her two-year battle with breast cancer,” he wrote on Instagram at the time. “She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many. My family and I will forever be grateful to her doctors and nurses at MD Anderson Cancer Center, all the medical centers that have helped, as well as her many friends and loved ones who have been by her side.”
“Kelly’s love and life will always be remembered,” he added. “I will be taking some time to be there for my children who have lost their mother, so forgive me in advance if you don’t hear from us for a while. But please know that I will feel your outpouring of love in the weeks and months ahead as we heal. All my love, JT.”
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