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25th May 2023
03:34pm BST
Tina Turner struggled with her health in the final years of her life, but in the wake of her passing the role her second husband played in keeping her alive is being fondly remembered.
Tina, who died "peacefully" at home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, aged 83, suffered at the hands of her abusive first husband, Ike Turner, but her second, not only restored her faith in love, he gave her the "gift of life".
The multi-Grammy winning performer rose to fame in the late 1960s as the singer of the band Ike & Turner Revue, alongside Ike Turner, but later went on to become a solo artist and was remembered in her passing as "the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".
Tina divorced Ike in 1978, but the extent of the abuse she suffered at his hands was largely unknown until she released her 1986 memoir, I, Tina, and the 1993 biopic, What's Love Got To Do With It, which won three Oscars.
After ditching Ike, Tina did not own the rights to her music, so started over. And she soon found superstardom, with hits like. 'What's Love Got To Do With It', which won her three awards at the 1985 Grammy Awards. Tina won eight Grammys during her career, sold more than 180 million albums, was immortalised in a popular West End show that is still running, and has a star on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the St Louis Walk of Fame.
Tina, who spent the last years of her life in Switzerland, married German music executive Erwin Bach in 2013.
After suffering a stroke soon after their wedding, Tina, in 2016, was diagnosed with intestinal cancer.
Having experienced uncomfortable side effects from her treatment, the performer turned to homeopathic remedies, but they only made things worse.
Tina suffered total kidney failure.
IN 2017, Bach donated one of the kidneys to Tina.
In 2020's Happiness Becomes You: A Guide to Changing Your Life for Good, Turner praised her husband for his donation.
"I'm happy to say that, thanks to my beloved husband, Erwin, giving me one of his kidneys, the gift of life, I'm in good health and loving life every day.
"I'm also thankful that I've not only survived but thrived so that I can pass on to you this book containing precious gifts that were given to me - the greatest gifts I can offer," she said, per People.
Just weeks before her death, in one of her final social media posts, Tina spoke about how she put herself in "great danger" by not taking her health seriously.
In one of her last posts on Instagram, the multiple-Grammy winner – who is understood to have had a kidney transplant years ago – marked International World Kidney Day in March by writing: “Today is International World Kidney Day. Why is it important? Because kidneys fail without pain.”
She continued: “And that’s why I’m telling you today: Show your kidneys love! They deserve it.
“My kidneys are victims of my not realising that my high blood pressure should have been treated with conventional medicine. I have put myself in great danger by refusing to face the reality that I need daily, lifelong therapy with medication.
“For far too long I believed that my body was an untouchable and indestructible bastion. I am therefore delighted to be able to support a new international campaign for kidney health.
“You can read the whole story of my disease on the website www.showyourkidneyslove.com. 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!”
Announcing Tina's death on Wednesday night, her representative wrote: "Tina Turner, the 'Queen of Rock'n Roll' has died peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.
"With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model."
A post on Tina's official Instagram profile read: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner. With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow.
"Today we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music. All our heartfelt compassion goes out to her family. Tina, we will miss you dearly," the statement continued.
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