Toni Braxton Gives First Interview Since Sister Traci's Passing: "Did I Dream It?"

BY Erika Marie 24.6K Views
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Toni Braxton
The singer spoke openly about how she and her sisters have been mourning their loss.

The world may have moved on to the next wave of Hollywood controversy, but the Braxton family is still grieving the loss of sister Traci. The singer and reality star was reportedly quietly battling cancer for a year and sadly, the 50-year-old succumbed to the illness just two weeks ago. The Braxton Family Values stars have all come forward with messages of mourning and grief as the public showers them with condolences over their tragic loss.

Toni Braxton previously shared a video from Kevin Hart that the comedian sent Traci during her private health battle, and the Grammy winner recently sat down with Tamron Hall to discuss how she and her famous family have been coping.

"My sister Traci, she loves when it snows and she died that morning, it was actually pouring down snowing," said Toni. "My sister's now a snowflake and her favorite bird was a hummingbird, and I saw a hummingbird the other day, it just kinda flew around me and kind of suspended itself and I was like, 'Traci?'... That made me feel so much better. I felt like she was trying to say hello to me."

"To lose one makes it a little more difficult sometimes," the singer said elsewhere. "I wake up every morning and go, 'Did I dream it? Did I dream it?' And I have to remind myself, no, she's gone, but she's been here with us for fifty years, so I try to relish in that moment and try to smile and be grateful for the time you have."

Toni reminded people to be kind to one another, and despite their sisterly fights, the Braxton women are always there for one another.



About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.