John Travolta has marked what would have been his late son's 33rd birthday by sharing a rare photograph of the pair together.

The 71-year-old actor posted the image on Instagram, showing him holding Jett Travolta in his arms as the boy reached for his father's ears - years after his boy, who was the eldest child of John Travolta and Kelly Preston, died at the age of 16 in January 2009 after suffering a seizure while the family were on holiday in the Bahamas.

He captioned the image: "Happy birthday Jett - I miss you so much! Love you forever!"

Jett had a history of seizures and had been diagnosed with autism before his death.

John and Kelly also had daughter Ella Bleu Travolta and son Benjamin Travolta.

The actor said the loss of Jett was the most devastating moment of his life.

Speaking at a panel in 2014, he said: "The truth is, I didn't know if I was going to make it. Life was no longer interesting to me, so it took a lot to get me better."

Jett's sister, Ella Bleu Travolta, 25, also paid tribute on social media to the boy, sharing a photograph of their mother kissing Jett as a young child.

She captioned her image on Instragram: "Happy Birthday, Jetty. I love you so much."

John has continued to honour his son's memory, not only with annual birthday tributes but also through the creation of the Jett Travolta Foundation, which supports children with special needs.

Famous friends and fans commented on the actor's latest post about the boy, with actress Rita Wilson saying online: "May his memory be eternal."

The Travolta family experienced another loss in July 2020 when Kelly Preston died following a two-year battle with breast cancer aged 57.

She and John had been married since September 1991.

Announcing her passing at the time, the actor said: "She fought a courageous fight with the love and support of so many. Kelly's love and life will always be remembered."

John continues to raise his youngest son, Benjamin, now 14.