In the wake of the celebrated Rock 'n' Roll queen, Tina Turner's death on Wednesday, May 24, details surrounding her family dynamics have surfaced. Despite receiving heartfelt eulogies from the likes of Oprah Winfrey, King Charles, and Beyoncé, Tina's rapport with her immediate family had been strained for years.
The legendary vocalist, best known for her hit "Proud Mary," leaves behind her four sons: her late biological sons Craig and Ronnie Turner, and her adoptive sons, Ike Turner Jr. and Michael Turner. Additionally, she had three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, none of whom she got the chance to meet before her passing.
Surprised by the news of Tina's longstanding illness that eventually took her life, the Turner family's interactions with their matriarch appeared to have been infrequent over the years.
Following Tina's sad demise, the daughter of her first husband, Ike Turner, broke her silence on the family's disjointed relationship. "No-one had heard from Tina in a while, it happened so suddenly," she acknowledged. The need for healing within the family was emphasized as she added, "These two powerhouses were such an entity — there will never be another Ike and Tina."
Insiders revealed that the Grammy Award winner barely knew her grandchildren and never met her great-grandchildren. Tina was unfamiliar with Ronnie's children, Raquel and Randy, and never had the opportunity to meet Raquel’s sons, Tyson and Tyrese. Michael's daughter, Tiffany Turner-Dukes, and her children, Marli, Amari, and Gianni, also missed the chance to interact with their illustrious great-grandmother.
One of the few family members to have maintained contact with Tina was Afida Turner, Ronnie’s widow. Afida shared memories of her interactions with the famous singer, noting that Tina had cautioned her about Ronnie’s behavior, saying, "Sometimes [she] told me, 'You don't want to stay with him. He is going to be like his father.'"
The reference was to Ike, whose turbulent and abusive relationship with Tina led to her attempting suicide prior to their 1978 divorce. Despite initial concerns, Afida stated that Ronnie made considerable efforts to alter his behavior. "He made a very big effort to keep me," she reflected. "In the beginning, it was very hard because I was not willing to stay with him."
Page Six initially reported these revelations from the source.