Toni Braxton shared her sentiments about the recent loss of her sister, Traci Braxton, in a heartbreaking interview on the Tamron Hall Show. It was the singer turned actress’ first time publicly speaking on the untimely passing of Traci since she shared the news of Traci’s death on Instagram.
In the interview, Braxton revealed that she recently felt Traci’s presence when she saw her sister’s favorite bird.
“Her favorite bird was a hummingbird,” Braxton said. “I saw a hummingbird the other day. It just kind of flew around me 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 that she was, like, I felt like she was trying to say hello to me.”
The entire Braxton family was present when Traci took her last breath, which Toni admits was very difficult. However, she cherishes the time she shared with Traci and the family.
“She had a lot more time than they initially said,” Braxton continued. “She had another six months that she was with us. We got to savor that moment with her and talk, and laugh, and giggle. All my sisters and I, my parents, we all rallied together — and my brother.”
Although Braxton tried to hold it together, it was very apparent that the wound of losing one of her sisters was still very fresh.
“My parents did such a fantastic job of raising us together, making us so close,” Braxton said through tears. “So, to lose one makes it a little more difficult sometimes. I wake up every morning and I go, ‘Did I dream it. Did I dream it?’ And I had to remind myself, no she’s gone, but she’s been here with us for 50 years.”
Traci Braxton died on April 2, 1971 at the age of 50 years old after a year-long battle with esophageal cancer. She is survived by her husband, Kevin Surrat, son, Kevin Surrat Jr., grandson, Kevin Surrat, III, parents, and five siblings.
Braxton conitues, “I try to relish in that moment and I try to smile about it and just be grateful for the time you have and you have to always remember to be kind to one another. We’re sisters, so we’re always going to fight. That’s what sisters do. Okay, it’s the rites to passage to fuss and fight, but in the end, we’re always there.”
Braxton has started a press tour for her latest double movie project Fallen Angels Murder Club: Friends to Die For and Fallen Angels Murder Club: Heroes and Felons featured on Lifetime.
She stars in the Rhonda Baraka films as Hollis Morgan, a former convicted felon turned amateur sleuth on the mission to solve a series of whodunit murders. Braxton stars opposite Eddie Cibrian and is also executive producer of the films.
Release of Fallen Angels Murder Club kick off on Saturday, April 2 on Lifetime.
