Celebrity Celebrity Deaths Celebrity Death Tributes Kelly Preston Shares Sweet Photo of John Travolta and Late Son Jett to Raise Awareness About Autism The actress shared the emotional post in honor of Autism Awareness Month and just a few days ahead of what would have been Jett's 27th birthday By Joelle Goldstein Joelle Goldstein Joelle Goldstein is a Senior News Editor on the TV team for PEOPLE Digital. She has been with the brand since 2017, working as an intern, digital news writer and Human Interest writer-reporter before joining the TV team to help oversee and edit digital coverage. Her work has previously appeared in The Hollywood Reporter. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 6, 2019 01:18AM EDT It has been ten years since John Travolta and Kelly Preston experienced every parent’s nightmare when their son Jett died unexpectedly at age 16. Just a few days before what would have been Jett’s 27th birthday, Preston paid tribute to her beloved son and celebrated other children who also have autism in an emotional Instagram post. In the touching black and white photograph shared by the actress, 56, late Friday, Jett beams as he lays between his two parents in a big bed and they both kiss him on the cheek. “To my sweet love, Jett… you are in our hearts forever,” Preston lovingly wrote in the caption. “I send love to all of the beautiful autistic children and the wonderful people who love them. May we all shine and grant love and respect to children with special needs💕” she added, along with hashtag acknowledging April is Autism Awareness Month. Kelly Preston/Instagram John Travolta’s 16-Year-Old Son Dies Jett died in January 2009 while on vacation with his family in the Bahamas. The teen had hit his head on a bathtub after suffering a seizure at his family’s vacation home at the Old Bahama Bay Hotel on Grand Bahama Island. Prior to his death, his famous parents chose to keep his disorder private, however, they have since spoken out about his autism and other medical conditions. In 2003, Preston revealed that Jett had Kawasaki Syndrome — a condition typically associated with inflammation of the arteries — when he was 2 years old. Preston, who also said Jett suffered from asthma, blamed household cleaners, fertilizers and pesticides for causing her son’s autism disorder and lobbied for more detailed labeling on chemical products. James Gourley/REX/Shutterstock Losing Jett Throughout Jett’s life, his parents always spoke highly of their first-born, referring to him as “the most wonderful son two parents could ever ask for.” In 1994, Travolta told PEOPLE how much he loved fatherhood. “I can’t imagine what life would be like without Jett,” he heartbreakingly said, 15 years before his son’s untimely death. “After he was born and cleaned up, I held him for hours while Kelly slept,” the actor explained. “When they came to take him away for various tests, I said, ‘No, you can’t see him today. You’ll have to do it another day.’ I went a little nutsy.” Gisela Schober/Getty John Travolta Reveals Young Son Ben Has Been ‘Beautiful Kind of Glue’ to Rebond Family After Son Jett’s Death Nearly two years after the tragedy, the couple welcomed another little boy Benjamin, who helped Preston, Travolta, and their daughter Ella Bleu, move forward and find joy again. “Certainly having little Ben has been a beautiful kind of glue for us to rebond after tremendous loss,” Travolta, 65, said in an interview with Good Morning America. “He’s given the house a renewed spirit and purpose,” the actor added to PEOPLE in 2011.