Tina Turner told both Cher and Oprah Winfrey she was “ready to die” before she passed away on May 24 at the age of 83.
“He battled this disease for a very long time and was as strong as you might think,” the 77-year-old “Believe” singer said while calling MSNBC’s “The Beat with Ari Melber” on Thursday.
But I know towards the end, he said to me once, ‘I’m really ready’. I don’t want to put up with that anymore.’”
Winfrey, 69, another close friend of Turner’s, mentioned in a separate interview that the producer of the “Proud Mary” hit expressed similar sentiments.
“I was definitely aware that he was sick, but I went to visit him at the hospital in 2019 and he told me at the time that he was really ready to go, that is, he was ready to leave the planet.” talk show host He said on Thursday’s “CBS Mornings” broadcast.
I knew then that this would be the last time I saw him.
His family announced on Wednesday that Turner died after battling a “long illness”. A day later, his representative announced that the legendary musician died of natural causes.
While Cher didn’t specify what specifically bothered Turner, she admitted that the “Missing You” singer had a dialysis machine at her home in Switzerland.
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Dialysis is a treatment method used for those with advanced kidney disease. Turner spoke about her health issues in an Instagram post on March 9 in honor of International Kidney Day.
“My kidneys are a victim of my unawareness. [sic] he said that my high blood pressure should be treated with traditional medicine,” he told his followers at the time.
“I put myself in great danger by refusing to face the fact that I needed daily, life-long therapy with medication. For too long I believed that my body was an inviolable and indestructible fortress.
Aware of Turner’s difficulties, Cher said on “The Beat with Ari Melber” that she loved all the time she spent with the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll in recent years.
The “Strong Enough” singer recalled, “I started visiting him because I thought, ‘I need to take this time for our friendship so he can know we haven’t forgotten him.
“So we all took turns spending time with him and it made him happy.”
Cher added that Turner gave her a farewell gift on their last visit together. “Last time I saw him, he gave me a pair of shoes,” she explained. “What kind of shoes? Tina Turner shoes!”