Tina Turner‘s daughter-in-law, Afida, speaks up about the personal pain and heartache Turner endured as a mother, tragically outliving two of her four children, including her son Craig who died by suicide in 2018, and her son Ronnie who passed away from colon cancer just months before Tina’s death.
Afida also revealed Turner’s fears that Ronnie would follow in the abusive footsteps of his father, Ike Turner. She shared that the music icon warned her about Ronnie’s potential behavior.
Keep on reading to learn more.
Tina Turner Lost Two Sons While Battling Health Issues
Following the recent passing of music icon Tina Turner at 83, the public has gained a deeper understanding of her challenges in her final years and the health battles she bravely fought.
While many have celebrated her strength and resilience during this time, Turner’s daughter-in-law, Afida, is now shedding light on the personal pain Turner endured long before her diagnosis of any illness.
In an interview with Daily Mail, Afida, married to the “Proud Mary” singer’s late son, Ronnie, gave a candid account of the profound heartache that Turner experienced as a mother to four children, tragically outliving two.
During the chat with Daily Mail, Afida disclosed that Turner carried the pain of losing her son Craig, who died by suicide in 2018 while battling her own declining health. She added that in a cruel twist of fate, Turner also mourned the passing of another son, Ronnie, Afida’s late husband, just five months before her demise.
Ronnie succumbed to colon cancer in December, as reported by The Blast, leaving Turner to bear the weight of yet another devastating loss.
Despite the heartache, Turner found strength in her Buddhist faith, and Afida now takes solace in the belief that Turner has now been reunited with her late sons. “They never had time to spend together, and now all three of them are together,” she said.
Her Death Was Unexpected Despite Prolonged Illness
Despite Turner’s prolonged illness and numerous health conditions, including hypertension, stroke, kidney failure, intestinal cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder, her passing shocked her family. Afida reveals that the Queen of rock ‘n’ roll’s remarkable strength and resilience had given them hope that she would defy the odds and live forever.
“She was ill for a long time but solid, too,” Afida shared. “She has been fighting for her life from 2017 until now. We knew how sick she was, but she was doing so well that this was unexpected.”
Nevertheless, Afida said that the unexpected death of the music icon deeply affected the surviving family members, shaking them to their core.
Tina Turner Feared Her Son Will Become Abusive Like His Father
Afida also mentioned Turner’s haunting fears that Ronnie would follow in the abusive footsteps of his father, Ike Turner, with whom the singer endured years of severe abuse during their marriage.
Afida disclosed that Turner, who had also adopted two of Ike’s sons from a previous relationship, even cautioned her about Ronnie in the early stages of their relationship, expressing her terror at the thought of subjecting another woman to the same kind of abuse she endured.
Afida recounted, “[Tina] sometimes told me, ‘You don’t want to stay with him. He is going to be like his father.'” The daughter-in-law added, “It’s rare for a mother to say that.” Acknowledging the initial signs of such behavior in Ronnie, Afida admitted there were early concerns mirroring Turner’s fears.
However, she emphasized that Ronnie made significant efforts to change and improve his behavior to keep their relationship intact, as she made it clear that she would not stay with him if his conduct continued down a destructive path. “He made a considerable effort to keep me. It was tough initially because I was unwilling to stay with him,” she revealed.
Afida Turner Praises Late Tina Turner’s Husband
While the exact details of Turner’s funeral arrangements are still unknown to Afida, she took a moment to acknowledge the crucial role of Turner’s husband, Erwin Bach, in supporting the singer throughout the years.
Afida commended Bach for being a steadfast pillar of support to Turner and expressed her admiration for his handling of various responsibilities. “She is having a funeral, but I am not the one who organized it,” she stated. “I am not the one who is doing this. Her husband handles that. She has a husband who handles all of that and has handled everything for many years.”
“He did a good job at it too. He did a good job helping [Turner],” Afida added.
