Tina Turner, who recently passed away at 83, led a life marked by a series of personal tragedies that unfolded behind her career. Born as Anna Mae Bullock and later rising to stardom as Tina Turner, she endured years of abuse during her marriage to Ike Turner, which was witnessed by her eldest son, Craig.
The emotional impact of this period on Craig was a heartfelt concern for Turner. Speaking to Oprah Winfrey in 2005, Turner revealed what Craig endured:
“They saw the black eyes. Ike’s children never reacted, but my oldest son, Craig, was a very emotional kid. He’d always look down in sadness. ‘One day, when Ike was fighting me, Craig knocked on the door and said, ‘Mother, are you all right?‘
I thought, ‘Oh, please, don’t beat me at home.’ I didn’t want my children to hear. I tried to have meals with the children, talk to them about life. But Ike had no sense of that. He’d always come home late from the studio. It was awful.“
In a further tragic turn of events, Craig took his own life in 2018 at the age of 59. Upon hearing the sad news, Tina was shocked, as Craig had a new girlfriend he loved so much.
Here is what Tina wrote on her Twitter after her son’s death:
“My saddest moment as a mother. On Thursday, July 19, 2018, I said my final goodbye to my son, Craig Raymond Turner, when I gathered with family and friends to scatter his ashes off the coast of California. He was fifty-nine when he died so tragically, but he will always be my baby.“
Turner also battled numerous health issues, including a stroke, cancer, and kidney failure, ultimately resulting in her passing. Despite these hardships, she faced each challenge with the grace and strength that defined her career. Yet, the tragedy of her son’s suicide affected a big part of her life.
Although Tina’s past marriage haunted her for a long time, her marriage with Erwin Bach in 2013 was a new beginning. However, after their honeymoon, she suffered a mild stroke, then was diagnosed with cancer.
After the news, the singer also learned that she needed a kidney transplant, or else she’d die. Tina later signed up to be a member of Exit for assisted suicide.
In a 2018 interview with BBC News, Tina Turner revealed her thoughts on life and death and explained why she signed up to Exit:
“So I said, well if it’s time… I felt like I was in my late 70s; my mother died at 84, my sister died at 74, and I thought maybe this was my time. In Buddhism, you accept life and death. I was ready; I just thought it was my time.
Death is not a problem for me. I really don’t mind leaving.”
Thankfully, her husband, Erwin Bach, donated his kidney to Tina Turner. This helped her recover, and the singer said she was happier than ever.
Turner said the following:
“I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life. I’m happier than I ever thought that life would become for me. So, that means that most of my hardships came while I was young and growing up. And in the last days when normally people suffer from old age and sickness, my happiness came. I’m really thoroughly happy.“
Turner was optimistic about her future, unaware of the health challenges that would arise. Despite an accident that left her with some broken bones, she maintained her belief that she would be around for several years to come.
She continued, saying:
“I did fall a couple of days ago and broke something, so I was in a wheelchair and on crutches. So, maybe now I’m going through my sick period, and I think that will take me through to my 90s. I’ll be around for a while.“
You can watch the interview below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQlHW2hDdEs
