Since the music legend passed away at the age of 83, the truth about Tina Turner's torturous final years and the numerous health challenges she suffered in the years before her death have been exposed in great detail.
Many of her friends, family, and fans have recently praised her for her strength and fortitude throughout those years; however, one person who knew her better than anyone else is now speaking out about the intensely personal suffering Tina was experiencing before she was given a medical diagnosis.
The "Proud Mary" singer's daughter-in-law Afida is opening up in harrowing detail about the immense grief she endured as a mother to two of her four children, who unfortunately passed away, in her first interview since Tina's passing earlier this week.
Afida, 46, a musician like her mother-in-law and who spoke exclusively to DailyMail.com from her home in France, revealed the heartbreaking truth about Tina's worries that her son Ronnie would 'turn out like' his violent father Ike Turner as well as the grief over her other son Craig's suicide, which dominated her life until her passing.
As she said, despite knowing Tina had been ill for a long time, her strength and fortitude had led them all to believe she would live forever. She also discussed the family's shock at Tina's departure. She was sick for a very long period, but Afida said that she was also incredibly resilient.
She battled for her life from 2017 until the present. Although we were aware of how ill she was, this was unexpected given how well she was doing. Tina suffered through a series of debilitating illnesses over the years, including intestinal cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, and hypertension that resulted in a stroke and renal failure.
ALSO READ: Tina Turner's 4 Children: Ike Jr. Reveals He Hasn't Spoken To Mom Since 2000
However, it should be recalled that Afida described how her husband's health quickly deteriorated after he was given a dementia diagnosis years ago. Ronnie, 55, is unable to walk and is experiencing mental health problems as a result of the sickness. The former bassist has a history of substance addiction problems and has been sentenced for offences involving drugs. In 2007, he wed the singer and reality sensation from France. Afida asked her $250 million mother-in-law for assistance, and she advised her to "get power of attorney and put Ronnie in a proper nursing facility." Following this revelation, several outlets followed suit branding Tina Turner as cold and heartless.
Nevertheless, Afida claims that her passing shocked her remaining relatives to their very cores. Because the family is still reeling from the heartbreaking loss of Tina's son, Afida's late husband Ronnie, who passed away from colon cancer in December - just five months before his mother passed away - the news of Tina's death came as an even larger shock to them, they say.
For Tina, who was, in Afida's words, already "extremely sick" at the time of her son's death and who had already had to deal with the loss of one son, Craig, who shot himself dead in 2018 at the age of 59, it was an almost unimaginable tragedy.
Afida claimed that Tina carried the pain of losing Craig with her every day, despite her own deteriorating health. She adds that the only faint comfort from her mother-in-law's loss is the knowledge that Tina has now been reunited with her sons, adding that Tina found strength in her Buddhist beliefs.
The three of them are now together, she remarked, adding that they had never had time to be together. Tina had only turned 18 when she gave birth to Craig, the only child of her union with Kings of Rhythm musician Raymond Hill. Tina acknowledged her amazement at learning of his suicide, stating in a public statement at the time that she had thought he was happier than ever after finding love with a woman he had been intending to introduce to his mother.
Five years after Craig died, Tina lost her second son, Ronnie, to a severe form of colon cancer that took his life only three weeks after he was diagnosed. According to Afida, this loss left both Tina and Ronnie's mother "traumatized."
Tina was unable to travel to Los Angeles to care for Ronnie because she was already quite ill at the time of his diagnosis. I had to handle everything by myself. Ronnie battled the cancer that so quickly destroyed his health, but Afida claims that her fabled 'force of nature and perseverance' was still evident in him even as he did.
Tina was too unwell to care for her son in his final weeks, but Afida claims that Ronnie exhibited Tina's traits. She explained that the fact that both remained so strong in their final weeks on Earth was a credit to the family's tremendous resiliency.
READ ALSO: Tina Turner's Tragic Relationship With Ike Turner Explored
