Are John Travolta and Kelly Preston planing an adoption?
According to Star Magazine, John Travolta and Kelly Preston are considering adopting a young boy. They’ve been going through immense grief since their son Jett passed away from a seizure in January, and have been walking around “shell shocked” according to a source. Friends have suggested they adopt a child, and apparently the couple liked the idea enough to start the process.
“They’ve already set adoption plans in motion!” But there won’t be any midnight feedings or diaper duty for the Travoltas. Instead, they’re hoping to bring home a son just a few years younger than their 9-year-old daughter, Ella. In fact, it was Ella’s encouragement that convinced John, 55, and Kelly, 46, to add to their family, adds another source. “Ella said it would make Jett happy to see Mom and Dad smiling again. They really believe another child will benefit the whole family, and it will be a beautiful tribute to Jett.”
The devoted Scientologist couple turned to their church to help with the adoption and will likely work with the same agency that Tom Cruise and his ex-wife Nicole Kidman used when they adopted their children, Isabella and Connor, in the 1990s. “The church has access to adoptable Scientology children,” the source explains. “Members encouraged John and Kelly, telling them that bringing another child into their home is the right thing to do.
…They’ve been completely devastated by Jett’s death and “walk around shell-shocked,” says the source who adds that the tragedy has taken a terrible toll on John and Kelly. “Their grief is beyond words. John feels like his heart has been ripped out. He shuts himself in a room for hours, while Kelly grieves alone.”
[From Star, May 18, 2009, print ed.]
It’s a lovely idea to adopt a child. However it worries me that it may be a little too soon. It’s important to make sure they’re not hoping a new child can heal the pain from the loss of Jett. Certainly they’re not looking for a replacement, but perhaps on some level John and Kelly might be hoping a new addition to the family would give them something else to focus on, and be a cause for joy. And while that would be wonderful, that is an tremendous amount of responsibility to put on a child. It sounds like they still need some time to grieve. It hasn’t even been six months yet – and I suspect they’re really still early on in the grief process. They say the loss of a child is something you never really get over, and I would guess they need to wait a while and learn how to live their lives without Jett before they think about adding a new family member.
