Over the course of his life, John Travolta has had his fair share of problems. The star has lost a lot of loved ones, including his son Jett in 2009 and his wife Kelly Preston in 2020. Travolta recently talked about a scary event in his past that made him feel scared and thankful to be alive.
When Travolta was a pilot for a business jet in 1992, his wife Kelly and their eight-month-old son Jett were on board with him. Jett’s first Thanksgiving was going to be in Rockland, Maine, which is where the flight left from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. But things went horribly wrong when the plane’s electricity stopped working altogether.
He was able to make an emergency landing at Washington National Airport, just in time to escape hitting a Boeing 727 with 182 people on board.
Travolta was deeply affected by what happened, and his own experience incited him to read Frederick Forsyth’s book “The Shepherd.” The book is about a young pilot in the Royal Air Force whose plane has a similar electrical problem. Travolta was interested in the story and bought the rights to the book, but it would take him 30 years to make the idea happen.
Travolta’s most recent movie, “The Shepherd,” shows how dedicated and persistent he is in sharing stories. Without a question, the actor’s personal experience and link to the story have given the movie more depth and emotion. Travolta keeps showing the world what he can do, and his fans are always thankful for how strong and creative he is in the face of hardship.
