Toni Braxton is morning the loss of her sister Traci. The 50-year-old entertainer died on Saturday (March 12) after a long battle with cancer. Toni and her sisters Towanda, Trina and Tamar and their mother were reportedly by Traci’s side when she passed away at her home.
The Grammy winner took to Instagram early Saturday morning to share an emotional tribute. “It is with the utmost regret that we inform you of the passing of our sister, Traci,” she wrote alongside a beautiful black-and-white photo of all the sisters. “Needless to say, she was a bright light, a wonderful daughter, an amazing sister, a loving mother, wife, grandmother and a respected performer. We will miss her dearly.”
She continued, “Traci passed this morning as the snow was falling, our angel is now a snowflake. We ask that you respect our privacy as we plan to send her home with love, celebrating her life. We are family forever. Love, The Braxton Family.”
Traci was born on April 2, 1971 in Severn, Maryland. Their father was a Methodist pastor and mom was a former opera singer. Michael, Toni and Towanda were her older siblings, while she helped look after her younger sisters, Trina and Tamar. In 1996, she married Kevin Surratt. They went on to welcome her only child, Kevin Surratt Jr., on January 10, 1996.
While her sisters made a name for themselves in the music industry beginning in the 90s, Traci — who was initially part of the sibling singing group — opted out of the record deal to focus on her family. However, she found success later in life when she recorded her own album, 2016’s Crash & Burn, which featured the hit “Last Call.”
“People always say, ‘Traci is mad about something that happened over 25 years ago,’ and to them I say this: I have a No. 1. single now, which is ‘Last Call,’” Traci told Shadow and Act in 2020. “I’ve been doing very well for myself. And before my music career took off, I worked with emotionally disturbed adolescents for over 20 years. Traci is pretty smart, Traci has a little education. I was never a wanna-be.”
Traci is survived by her husband of 26 years, Kevin, and their son, Kevin Jr.
This is a developing story…