R&B singer Keyshia Cole’s mother died Sunday from a drug overdose while celebrating her 61st birthday, according to reports.
Frankie Lons was partying at her Oakland home, where she apparently relapsed after a decades-long battle with addiction, family members confirmed, according to TMZ.
Her death was first announced by Cole’s sister Elite Noel, who shared the news on Instagram, describing her passing as “the worst pain ever … to see my mama in a body bag on her birthday! My heart so f---- broke.”
The singer-songwriter has yet to make a public statement regarding her mother’s passing.
Cole was adopted at a young age and raised by family friends, according to reports.
Her relationship with her biological parents was mostly dysfunctional until her burgeoning music career paved the way for the family to reconnect.
The complicated private lives of the singer’s family was chronicled on various reality TV series, including “Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is” in 2006 and more recently in 2019′s “Keyshia Cole: My New Life” on BET, where the two shared many revelatory conversations, according to TMZ.
Lons became a fan favorite on the shows, eventually leading to a spin-off series alongside Cole’s sister Neffeteria Pugh called “Frankie & Neffe.”
Last year, Cole said Lons had checked into rehab and would have been there for 30 days this past February.
Lons appeared to have gained control over her demons after achieving 60 days of sobriety in March 2020, something her daughter was eager to share with her social media fans, reports said.
Cole previously addressed her mother’s struggles with addiction, writing in a 2018 Instagram post, “Every time my mom relapse, it breaks my heart more than it’s already been broken. I’m hoping, if any of u are dealing with a family member who’s battling with drug addiction, that you, yourself are learning how to cope with the struggle of it all. And all the pain it brings to see a loved one constantly relapsing.”
Cole’s brother Sam also confirmed Lons death, saying he had been trying to help her stay sober by checking in with her on a daily basis, according to TMZ. He told the entertainment news website that the family “wants the world to remember Frankie as someone who loved her kids, and who wanted her children to be together … despite their turbulent history.”
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