Ronnie Turner’s cause of death has been revealed. The youngest son of rock icon Tina Turner passed away at the age of 62 on Dec. 8 due to complications due to colon cancer, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office. He also suffered from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, per Page Six.
On the same day the tragic news broke, Tina issued a statement on her son’s death. “Ronnie, you left the world far too early,” she shared to her Instagram, alongside a black and white photo of herself with her eyes closed. “In sorrow, I close my eyes and think of you, my beloved son.” Tina had welcomed Ronnie with her ex-husband Ike Turner shortly after the birth of their first son Craig, who died by suicide in 2018 at 59. Tina had also adopted two of Ike’s children from previous relationships: Ike Jr. and Michael.
On Thursday, paramedics were dispatched to Ronnie’s San Fernando Valley home after a caller reportedly said that Ronnie was having trouble breathing and then later stopped breathing, according to TMZ. He was reported dead on the scene, as bystanders attempted to perform CPR. Ronnie’s health conditions were not clear, but he had reportedly battled cancer in the past.
Ronnie’s death was later confirmed by his wife of 15 years, French singer Afida Turner. The star, 45, shared a tribute to her late husband on Instagram, writing, “My God, Ronnie Turner, a true angel, huge soul, highly spiritual, my husband, my best friend, my baby.” She added, “This is a tragedy. [You’re] with your brother Craig and your father Ike… Rest in paradise.”
Tina’s son had followed in her Hollywood footsteps, pursuing his own career in music and dabbling in acting. Most notably, he made a cameo as The Revue in the 1993 biopic about his mom What’s Love Got To Do With It, which starred Angela Bassett as the “Queen of Rock and Roll” and Laurence Fishburne playing her ex-husband Ike, per IMDb.