Afida Turner Says Her ‘Heart is Destroyed’ After Losing Husband, Ronnie Turner, and Mother-in-Law, Tina Turner, Within Months of Each Other

Afida Turner is struggling to find peace after losing her husband, Ronnie Turner, and her mother-in-law, Tina Turner, within months of each other. Ronnie died of complications of colon cancer on December 8, 2022 at 62 years old, while his mother passed away of natural causes on May 24, 2023 at 83 years old. 

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Afida opened up about the two deaths and how it has impacted her life over the past eight months. While she spent most of that time in her Encino home – where her and her husband built a ‘beautiful’ life – she has since traveled to Egypt in hopes of finding her happiness. 

“It’s a punishment. Morning and night, I’m crying and screaming,” she says of her day-to-day life as she struggles to accept the recent deaths. “My life in Los Angeles became a nightmare — a real nightmare. That’s why I got the f— out of there. No house, no furniture. Just my memories and Ronnie’s clothes.”

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Afida Turner spoke about how ‘difficult’ it has been and how the pain she’s feeling ‘will never go away.’ She admitted to being ‘depressed’ and ‘thinking about very bad, dark, bad stuff’ – adding that her ‘heart is destroyed’ and she’s ‘trying not to lose [her] mind.’ Without Ronnie, she feels as if she has no one. 

Afida Turner met Ronnie in 2005 while working on her single ‘French Kiss’ with Ike Turner Jr. – Ronnie’s brother. Ronnie was at the recording session and the two immediately hit it off, but Afida had concerns about his lifestyle – which involved drug and substance abuse. Nonetheless, they married in March 2007.

Over the next 15 years, Ronnie and Afida found comfort and stability in one another. While he continued to struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts throughout their marriage, Afida was somewhat of a ‘rock’ in Ronnie’s life and she credits their relationship as a major reason why he lived as long as he did.

“I made sure he didn’t kill himself,” Afida Turner said in her interview. “Ronnie was a lonely, destroyed man without love. I saved his life. We were both kind of like orphans: broken souls, broken hearts and I was doing everything for him.” While he’s now gone, she has a master plan to keep his memory alive. 

Afida Turner Plans on Having Baby With Ronnie’s Sperm

Afida Turner and Ronnie Turner were together for 15 years and went through a lot together – both good and bad – but one thing they never had an opportunity to experience was parenthood. That’s something Afida is destined to change as she flirts with the possibility of having his son through IVF treatment. 

The couple was already thinking about having a child prior to his death. He had been sober for three years, was working out regularly, eating a healthy diet, and practicing Buddhism, but things went south when he was diagnosed with colon cancer in November. He died just a few weeks later on Dec. 8. 

Luckily for Afida, Ronnie didn’t die without first freezing some of his sperm – which he did as a birthday gift for her. “It’s still bad because he’s not here, but what can I do?” she says – describing it as a ‘very nice gift.’ “At least I will have a little one that looks like Ronnie. A monster like me and him, can you imagine?”

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She went on to describe Ronnie as a ‘big character with big energy’ – adding that she ‘won’t find another man like that in my life.’ She also urged others to ‘appreciate loved ones because you never know when’s the last time you see them.’ Hopefully, she has a son or daughter to remember him by in the near future.