Source: Tibrina Hobson / Getty
Toni Braxton is finally opening up about the tragic passing of her sister Traci Braxton nearly two weeks after the reality star lost her private battle with Esophageal cancer.
On March 29, the “Breathe Again” singer made an appearance on The Tamron Hall Show where she spoke about the final moments leading up to Traci’s death and how she’s coping with the painful loss of her sister.
“It was a tough year. She was optimistic. She was hopeful that she was going to get better,” Braxton said of her sister’s resilience. “Actually, she had a lot more time than they initially said. She had another six months that she was with us, so we got to savor that moment with her… we got to see her take her last breath, ” the 54-year-old told viewers.
Braxton, who is currently working on the production of her new Lifetime film, “Fallen Angels Murder Club: Friends to Die For,” said she dedicated the forthcoming project to her late sister, noting how Traci would often help her to develop her character.
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All of Traci’s close family members were there during her final moments.
“Her son was there, her husband was there, everyone was there. Her best friends were there,” Braxton said of the day her sister died. “She had so much love. The hospice nurses were incredible. You never think that it’s going to happen to you and your family. So you have to remind yourself to enjoy the moments, be happy.”
Even though Traci is no longer here physically, the star said she still feels the presence of her spirit.
“I’m a rain girl, I love when it rains. My sister Traci, she loves when it snows and she died that morning when it was actually pouring down snow in Virginia. So my sister is now a snowflake,” the R&B legend explained. “Her favorite bird was a hummingbird and I saw a hummingbird the other day and it just kind of flew around and kind of suspended itself and I was like ‘Traci?’ And it started bumping and going up and down. So that made me feel so much better, I felt like she was trying to say hello to me.”
The Braxton sisters have gone through a lot in the public eye, especially since the release of their popular We TV reality show Braxton Family Values, which entered its seventh season in 2020. The “Don’t Break My Heart” hitmaker said although fans have seen her and her siblings fight on the series, they are “always there” for each other no matter what.
She continued:
“We’re sisters, we’re always gonna fight. That’s what sisters do, OK, it’s a rite of passage to fuss and fight but in the end, we’re always there. We can be fussing and fighting with each other even on the show and we’d be right there, ‘OK, I’m bringing the kids over’ and not talk to each other, but we’ll be cooking together.”
“We’re just very fortunate to have had my sister with us for as long as we did.”
As MADAMENOIRE previously reported, on March 12, Traci’s husband, Kevin Surratt, delivered the devastating news about the 50-year-old singer’s passing in a statement to TMZ.
“We have come to a time where we must inform the public that after a year of privately undergoing a series of treatments for Esophageal cancer our beloved Traci Braxton has gone on to glory,” he told fans.
Her son, Kevin Surratt Jr., also posted a touching tribute in honor of his mother on Instagram, detailing the On Earth crooner’s fight to overcome the aggressive cancer.
“When I heard the news about my mother being sick, first thing she said was ‘I’m going to fight and beat this,’” he wrote, captioning a photo of himself embracing his mother in a tight hug. “She fought to the end and today she’s at peace. I love my mother forever and this hurts so much, but I’m at peace knowing she’s isn’t in pain anymore. I love you ma. I’m going to miss you,” he added.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Braxton family during this difficult time.
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