Tina Turner's daughter-in-law planning baby with late husband's sperm

26 July 2023

Tina Turner's daughter-in-law Afida Turner is planning to have a baby using her late husband's sperm.

Afida Turner is planning to have a baby using her late husband Ronnie Turner's sperm

Singer/actress Afida was married to Tina's son Ronnie Turner for 15 years prior to his death in December aged 62 after a battle with colon cancer - and she's now revealed her plan to fulfil her dream of becoming a first-time mother at the age of 46 by using sperm he had frozen for her as a birthday gift.

In an interview with PEOPLE, she explained: "I'm going to have Ronnie's baby! If I can. I'm 46. But we'll see ... "

According to PEOPLE, Afida also had her eggs frozen and will undergo in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) in the coming months. She's said to be hoping to be pregnant before she turns 47 on her next birthday in December this year.

When asked about the prospect of raising her baby without her husband, Afida said: "It's still bad because he's not here, but what can I do? At least I will have a little one that looks like Ronnie. A monster like me and him, can you imagine? ... "

She added of her baby plans: "Ronnie left me a very nice gift."

Afida has been overwhelmed with grief following Ronnie's death and then the loss of her mother-in-law Tina six months later and she's hoping a new baby will help bring her comfort.

Speaking of her tumultuous year, she told the publication: "It's a punishment. Morning and night, I'm crying and screaming ... It was very sad that Ronnie passed, and then his mom passed six months after. It is very difficult for me because people only see the music or the pictures, but I go back home and scream the names of my loved ones. [That pain] will never go away.

"I'm still very depressed and thinking about very bad, dark, bad stuff. You don't want to go through this in life. You have to talk to God, otherwise you go nuts and kill yourself. I'm suffering and my heart is destroyed. I'm trying not to lose my mind."

Tina passed away in May at the age of 83 after battling numerous health problems over the years. Ronnie was one of Tina's four sons. She was mum to Raymond Craig from her marriage to Kings of Rhythm saxophonist Raymond Hill. He was adopted by Tina's husband Ike after the couple wed in 1962 and he later changed his name to Craig Raymond Turner. Craig died in 2018 when he took his own life at the age of 59.

Tina also adopted Ike's two sons - Ike Jr. and Michael - from a previous relationship before Ronnie arrived in October 1960. He was Tina and Ike's only child together.