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NEW YORK: The family of Oscar-nominated Hollywood superstar John Travolta took a devastating emotional blow when his teenage son died Friday after a seizure while on a family vacation in the Bahamas, US media reported.
Jett Travolta, 16, had a history of seizures and suffered one "at around 10 am this morning," John Travolta's attorney, Michael Ossi, told CNN. "All attempts to revive him were unsuccessful."
Young Jett Travolta was the only son of the 54-year-old Hollywood star - also a trained jet pilot - and actress Kelly Preston, 46. They have a daughter, Ella, aged eight.
Jett's death "was completely out of the blue," Ossi said on the news network's website. "This is the worst day of John's life."
The precise cause of death was not known, Ossi said. After an autopsy the body will be buried in Ocala, Florida, he said. The family has a home in Ocala as well as in California.
According to past reports, Jett was autistic, a claim his actor father has denied, saying he suffered from Kawasaki Syndrome, a condition that can lead to heart disease, show business news site TMZ.com reported.
Kawasaki Syndrome, also known as lymph node syndrome, affects many organs, including the skin and mucous membranes, lymph nodes, blood vessel walls, and the heart. It was first described in 1967 by Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki in Japan.
The condition mostly affects children under the age of five.
A Bahamian police report cited by TMZ said Jett Travolta was last seen on Monday going into the family's residence. He was found lying unconscious on the bathroom floor by the caretaker around 10:00 am on Tuesday.
The report said an autopsy would be performed to determine the cause of death.
The teen had a life complicated by health woes from a very young age.
"Preston, who also said Jett suffered from asthma, blamed household cleaners, fertilisers and pesticides for sparking (his health) condition and lobbied for more detailed labelling on chemical products," People magazine said in its online edition.
"She credited a detoxification programme based on the writings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard with helping to improve Jett's health," People reported.
Travolta, famous for roles on television and in films such as "Grease," "Pulp Fiction" (1994) and "True Colors" (1991), received Academy Award nominations for the gritty disco epic "Saturday Night Fever" (1977) and grittier "Pulp Fiction."
- AFP/yb
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