Aretha Franklin dead at 76, remembering the 'Queen of Soul'
'Queen of Soul' Aretha Franklin has died at the age of 76. Here is a look back at her iconic life and career.
In her final days, Aretha Franklin received many visitors at her home, including her ex-husband Glynn Turman.
“I felt her pulse holding her frail, frail arm,” the 71-year-old actor said in an interview with People. “I was able to feel her pulse, which was strong. So she was fighting ’til the very end."
Turman, who called Franklin "the love of his life," said that the famed singer was always a fighter.
“She’s always been a warrior — a strong, strong woman and a fighter. Her pulse told me that she was not in surrender mode. She was going to fight it ’til the end.”
Turman and Franklin were married in 1978, but split a few years later in 1982. (Getty)
The actor revealed that Franklin was conscious but unable to communicate during his visit, but he said he knew she was aware of his presence.
“We were able to feed off of that recognition, feed off of the moment of both sort of realizing that time was extremely precious," he explained. "So it was a moment full of closure.”
Franklin and Turman were married in 1978 but divorced in 1984 after a two-year separation. Despite their short marriage, the former couple remained close friends throughout the years.
“People think of her often as an iconic singer, an iconic performer, but they don’t necessarily remember that she was a mother and a wife and someone’s lover,” he said. “There was that part that I’m glad I got to know about.”
Turman recalled some of the good memories with his former wife that he remained close with until her death on Thursday, but also said she was known to be stubborn. (AP)
And though the actor recalled many good times with the chart-topping artist, Turman said his former wife was also known for being "stubborn as hell."
“Women’s Rights Movement should have her name written all over," he said. "She just didn’t take tea for the fever, as the old folks would say. She was stubborn and hard to persuade. When she got her mind made up on something, you might as well pretty much forget trying to change it.”
The 71-year-old concluded by thanking friends and fans for their well-wishes following Franklin's death.
“I’m sure she knew of all the people who cared about her,” he explained. “I think that the people who were taking care of her continually told her of all the good wishes that were coming through.”
The "Queen of Soul," whose recordings of such classics as "Respect" and "Chain of Fools" made her the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, died Thursday of advanced pancreatic cancer at the age 76.
"In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart," the singer's family said in a statement to the Associated Press. "We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds."
Trending
Who's making headlines in television, music, movies and more from Hollywood to the Heartland.