TINA Turner enjoyed worldwide success as the Queen of Soul.

But the singing legend, who died on Wednesday, had to fight to overcome a tragic past to reach her bright future.

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A family spokesperson confirmed “Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of Rock’n Roll’ passed away peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness at her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.

“With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.”

Becoming a global icon was not easy.

Born Anna Mae Bullock, Tina had a difficult childhood filled with poverty and mystery, picking cotton in the fields around Nutbush, Tennessee.

Her mother, Zelma, suffered domestic abuse from her father, Floyd Bullock, before they both abandoned her as a child.

Domestic abuse would unfortunately be a constant in her early years, especially during her time with her ex, Ike Turner.

Ike was a musician, bandleader, songwriter, record producer and talent scout, born November 5, 1931 in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

He first rose to fame with his ex-wife in the 1950s, but was known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s.

Ike and Tina were early pioneers of the 1950s rock and roll wave and were known for songs such as Poor Fool, Come Together, River Deep-Mountain High and Proud Mary.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

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Tina suffered years of abuse at the hands of ex-lover and music partner, and finally fled her abusive marriage in July 1976 with just 36 cents in her pocket.

Looking back, Tina later claimed that her relationship with Ike Turner was physically abusive, and in her memoir, My Love Story, Tina described her reluctance to marry, saying, “(Testing) would only make him angry , and this can lead to a beating. .

Adds: “I definitely didn’t want a black eye on my wedding day.”

She then claimed he forced her to go to a brother while the couple watched a live sex show.

“The experience was so disturbing that I repressed it, scratched it out and created another scenario,” she said.

“People can’t imagine what kind of man he was – a man who takes his brand new wife to a live, pornographic sex show right after their wedding ceremony.”

TO IKE

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After Ike died of an accidental drug overdose in 2007, she demanded an interview in 2021 to be at peace with her ex.

“I hated Ike for a long time, I have to say that. But then, after he died, I really realized that he was a sick person,” she said.

“He did get me started and he was good to me in the beginning. So I have some good thoughts. Maybe it was a good thing that I met him, I don’t know.

“It hurts to have to remember those times, but at a certain point forgiveness takes over, to forgive means not having to hold on.

“It was to let go because it just hurts you. By not forgiving, you suffer because you think about it over and over. And for what?”

COLON CANCER

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Tina had four children with Ike—Ronnie and Raymond, both of whom preceded their mother in death, and the couple’s surviving sons, Ike Jr. and Michael.

Ronnie played bass for a number of his mother’s tours.

On December 8, 2022, the 62-year-old was pronounced dead after paramedics rushed to Ronnie’s home in San Fernando Valley, California.

It was later confirmed that the cause of death was complications from colon cancer, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Tina took to Instagram to pay tribute to her son following his death.

“Ronnie, you left the world far too soon. In sadness, I close my eyes and think of you, my beloved son,” she said. wrote.

SUICIDE

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Craig Turner (59) died only four years earlier on July 3, 2018.

He was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home in Studio City, California.

Tina later commented on her son’s death and noted loneliness as a contributing factor to the horrible situation.

“I think Craig was lonely, that’s what I think really got to him more than anything else,” she said E.T.

“I have pictures of him smiling everywhere, and I think I feel like he’s in a good place. I really do.”

HEALTH WOE

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Tina was plagued by ill health, including a stroke and cancer.

The soul and rock music legend also suffered kidney failure which led to a transplant in 2017.

Before the operation, Tina was so ill that she considered assisted suicide – which is legal in Switzerland, where she had full citizenship.

She joined the assisted-suicide organization Exit and recalled in a book: “It wasn’t my idea of ​​life, but the toxins in my body started to take over. I couldn’t eat.

“I survived, but did not live. I started thinking about death. If my kidneys were working, and it was time for me to die, I could accept that, it was OK. When it’s time, it really is time.”

SAD PASSING

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While a cause of death has not yet been released, Tina admitted to neglecting her body for years and expressed her regret.

In her last postshe wrote: “My kidneys are the victims of not realizing that my high blood pressure should have been treated with conventional medicine.

“I put myself in great danger by refusing to face the reality that I needed daily, lifelong therapy with medication.

“For too long I believed that my body was an untouchable and indestructible bastion.”

She used the post to announce her support for a new international campaign for kidney health called Show Your Kidneys Love, where she said people could “read the whole story of my disease.”

Directing her followers to the campaign’s website, she added: “Here you can find out how your kidneys work, what the risk factors are and how you can keep these important organs healthy. Let’s show our kidneys some love!”

A family spokesperson confirmed “Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of Rock’n Roll’ passed away peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness at her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.

“With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.”