May 9, 2024
Toni Braxton during a performance at her 2024 Las Vegas residency, Love & Laughter. (Photo by Denise Truscello/Getty Images for The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas)
Toni Braxton, the soulful voice behind the iconic ballad “Unbreak My Heart,” has openly shared the profound impact of her sister Traci’s passing on her life and career. Traci Braxton, also a talented singer and part of the Braxton family’s musical legacy, tragically lost her battle with cancer on March 12, 2022, at the young age of 50.
Toni’s journey through grief has been a deeply personal one, shaping her outlook and approach to her craft.
A Constant Presence
Despite the immense pain of losing her sister, Toni finds solace in the belief that Traci’s spirit remains by her side. In a candid interview with People magazine, Toni expressed the constant ache of missing Traci, saying, “She’s always with me. I miss her every day. I can’t even explain to you how I miss her.”
This sentiment is palpable in Toni’s Las Vegas residency, “Love & Laughter,” where she honors Traci’s memory. Toni shared with the audience, “I miss her, but I know she’s with me. I know she’s holding my hand and talking to me and giving me the courage to get up here and have a good time and entertain you guys, ’cause this is what I love doing as a performer.”
Toni Braxton lost her younger sister Traci Braxton on 12th March 2022 at the age of just 50.
“The Braxtons”: A New Chapter of Healing and Family
The Braxton family, known for their close bond and reality television series “Braxton Family Values,” is embarking on a new project, aptly titled “The Braxtons.” This series will offer a raw and honest glimpse into the family’s experience navigating grief, loss, and the complexities of healing.
Toni explained, “The ‘Breathe Again’ singer says the series will delve into the family’s experience of ‘dealing with grief and loss – and how I like to say, it’s difficult trying to live with a broken heart.'”
Though still in the early stages of production, Toni assures fans that the series will showcase the unique dynamic of the Braxton sisters – Towanda, Trina, Tamar, and Toni – as they support each other through this difficult chapter. She emphasized that while “The Braxtons” will differ from their previous reality show, it will capture the essence of their unbreakable bond.
A Musical Legacy and Enduring Bond
The Braxton sisters’ shared passion for music has always been a defining aspect of their lives. Before Toni embarked on her successful solo career, she and her sisters – Traci, Tamar, Trina, and Towanda – formed the R&B group, The Braxtons.
Toni Braxton with her sisters Tamar, Traci, Trina, Towanda, and mum Evelyn in 2013. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)
When Traci passed, Toni took to Instagram to share the heartbreaking news with the world. Alongside a poignant black-and-white photo of the sisters, she wrote, “It is with the utmost regret that we inform you of the passing of our sister, Traci. Needless to say, she was a bright light, a wonderful daughter, an amazing sister, a loving mother, wife, grandmother and a respected performer. We will miss her dearly.”
Traci’s husband, Kevin Surratt, also released a statement, revealing that Traci had courageously battled Esophageal cancer privately for a year before her passing.
The legacy of Traci Braxton, both as a talented artist and a cherished family member, continues to resonate. As Toni Braxton navigates grief and finds her footing in a world without her sister’s physical presence, she does so with grace, vulnerability, and an enduring love that shines through in her music and her life.
