Travolta In Tears As Firefighters Are Honoured

JOHN TRAVOLTA served up a special treat for firefighter heroes PHIL BIRD and KENNY WARD when he flew them to a taping of pal Oprah Winfrey's daytime TV show to receive a Medal of Honour award.

The movie star jumped at the chance to honour the firemen, who dashed into a burning Baltimore, Maryland, building to save an unconscious fallen colleague.

Travolta flew Bird and Ward to the Oprah show in Chicago, Illinois, in his own private plane and then burst into tears as the pair were presented with their honours on the show - by the fireman they saved.

Sobbing Travolta had another big surprise when he invited the two heroes and the man they saved to the premiere of his new firefighter drama LADDER 49 in Hollywood.

There were more tears for Travolta and his Ladder 49 co-stars JOAQUIN Phoenix and Jacinda Barrett on the tribute-to-heroes show as Winfrey paid homage to teenage pal MATTIE STEPANEK as his mother recalled the last days of his tragic life.

The young Maryland-based poet, who was born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, died in June (04) and was honoured as a fallen firefighter by firemen pals at his funeral.