Tina Turner mourns son’s tragic death: ‘You left the world far too early’

Tina Turner has paid tribute to her son, Ronald “Ronnie” Turner, who passed away suddenly Thursday at age 62.

“Ronnie, you left the world far too early. In sorrow I close my eyes and think of you, my beloved son,” the Grammy-winning singer wrote Friday in a caption for a black-and-white Instagram photo of herself, eyes closed, in a pensive pose.

Ronnie’s widow, Afida Turner, confirmed the news on Instagram on Friday. Paramedics had rushed to a home in the San Fernando Valley, where Ronnie was found struggling to breathe. Rescue workers attempted CPR, but he was pronounced dead.

“My god Ronnie turner a true angel hiuge [sic] soul highly spiritual my husband my best friend my baby iyour [sic] mummy your nurse i did the best to the end this time i was no [sic] able to save you love u for this 17 years this is very very very bad i am very mad ????,” Afida Turner captioned a series of photos featuring her late husband.

“This is a tragedy u with your brother craig and your father ike turner and aline rest in paradise ????????????????????❤️???????????????? so unfair,” she continued.

The cause of death was not known, but Ronnie had reportedly suffered from various health issues, including cancer, in recent years.

Tina’s oldest son, Craig, died by suicide in 2018 at 59.

The Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, who turned 83 on Nov. 26 and had four sons total, survived a lifetime of adversity, including an abusive relationship with ex-husband Ike Turner while they performed together in his rhythm and blues band, the Kings of Rhythm. Ike died in 2007 at age 76. 

The Tennessee-born “Proud Mary” songstress survived a stroke in 2013 and subsequently went through a kidney transplant four years later. In a 2021 documentary, simply titled “Tina,” she admitted she “didn’t spend a lot of time” with her sons.