Tina Turner died on May 24, 2023 of a "long illness," her publicist said in a statement to NBC News. But first, she lived.
The legendary singer's electric performances have become a blueprint for so many that came after her. She was as known for her one-of-a-kind voice and charisma as she was for her resilience and comeback story, surviving an abusive relationship and relaunching her career in her 40s.
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In 2013, when she was 73, Turner sat down with her friend Oprah Winfrey for a long discussion about her past, her career and her future — including her death.
Speaking to Winfrey, Turner approached the topic of transitioning out of life with curiosity.
“Even when it’s time to go and leave to another planet, I’m excited about that, because I’m curious to know what it’s about. Nobody can tell you because nobody has come back. I’m not excited to die, but I don’t regret it when it’s time for me. I’ve done what I came here to do. Now is pleasure. I’ve got great friends. I have a great man in my life now. I have a great husband and I’m happy,” she said.
Even when it’s time to go and leave to another planet, I’m excited about that.
—Tina Turner
Turner had dealt with a series of health issues since 2013, which she listed in her 2018 memoir, “Tina Turner: My Love Story.” They included stroke, intestinal cancer and kidney failure. She also battled vertigo.
In 2017, her second husband Erwin Bach donated a kidney to her, saving her life, per her memoir, an excerpt from which was published in People.
“I wondered if anyone would think that Erwin’s living donation was transactional in some way,” she wrote in her memoir. “Incredibly, considering how long we had been together, there were still people who wanted to believe that Erwin married me for my money and fame.”
Turner married Bach in 2013, 27 years after they first met. She called it one of the happiest moments in her life in an interview with TODAY.com in 2021.
Following the success of her transplant, Turner, in her memoir, opened up further about her health.
“I know that my medical adventure is far from over,” she wrote in “Tina Turner: My Love Story.” She continued, “But I’m still here — we’re still here, closer than we ever imagined. I can look back and understand why my karma was the way it was. Good came out of bad. Joy came out of pain. And I have never been so completely happy as I am today.”
Her story was full of difficult moments, however. Turner was also open about her struggles with mental health. In "My Love Story,” she wrote that she attempted suicide following her abusive relationship with Ike Turner.
“I chose death, and I chose it honestly,” she wrote in her memoir. “I was unhappy when I woke up. But I never tried it again because I made an important realization, one that changed the course of my life. I came out of the darkness believing I was meant to survive. I was here for a reason.”
Turner thought of her 2021 documentary, "Tina," as a farewell. In the documentary, Bach said it was her way of saying goodbye, along with her musical.
“She said I’m going to America, I’m going to say goodbye to my American fans, and I’m going to wrap it up. I think this documentary and this play — this is it. This is a closure,” he said.