A couple of days ago, Tina Turner fans were shocked to learn her oldest son Craig Turner had committed suicide. As expected, many people are asking why would he make such a final decision to take his own life? Now, more details about Craig are being revealed in the wake of his untimely, tragic death. There are a few facts about Craig many people probably never knew.
Humble Beginnings:
Although it’s no secret, Craig Tuner was Tina’s first-born son, most people probably never knew he wasn’t Ike’s biological son. Tina gave birth to Craig at the age of 18 and his biological father was a talented saxophonist by the name of Raymond Hill. Ironically, Raymond happened to be a member of Ike’s band, the Kings of Rhythm. After marrying Tina, Ike gave Craig his last name and raised him as if he were his own son. While most people would probably consider it noble for a man to raise his stepson as his own, for Craig, that wasn’t exactly the case.
Lasting Effects of Domestic Violence:
In the public eye, Ike and Tina were picture perfect: a sexy power couple with great talent, their own style, and striking good looks. But behind closed doors, their marriage was anything but picture perfect. In fact, life was more like a nightmare and unfortunately, the couple’s children often witnessed the nightmare unfold. Ike regularly beat Tina and left her battered and scarred. Craig, the couple’s oldest son witnessed quite a bit and Tina has admitted that the horrific abuse had lasting effects on her children.
During a previous interview with Oprah Winfrey, she opened up about the abuse and her son. The famed singer recalled one time when her young son knocked on the door while she and Ike were embroiled in a heated argument. She revealed Craig “was a very emotional kid.” “He’d always look down in sadness,” she said of when he watched the alleged abuse. “One day when Ike was fighting me, Craig knocked on the door and said, ‘Mother, are you all right?’ I thought, ‘Oh, please, don’t beat me at home.’ I didn’t want my children to hear.”
Seeing the Unthinkable:
While Tina was able to mask her pain from outsides, often covering bruises and scars with makeup and clothing, it wasn’t so easy to hide it all at home. She admitted her children often saw the physical damage she suffered. As an emotional child, Craig was highly impacted by what he saw. Tina admitted there were times when she made attempts to make things right with her children and talk to them about the pitfalls of life as Ike normally didn’t have time to nurture their children. “I tried to have meals with the children, talk to them about life. But Ike had no sense of that. He’d always come home late from the studio. It was awful,” Tina Turner said.
As a result of all Craig saw as a child, it ultimately created a domino effect of issues he dealt with for the duration of his life. At the time of his death, reports suggest Craig was not married and did not have children, according to Hollywood Life.
Gone Too Soon:
On Tuesday, July 3, Craig Turner was found dead in his California home. According to Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, it was confirmed that Craig had died of an apparent gunshot wound to the head.
