Stepping Into The Shade Room
On the latest episode of ‘Stepping Into The Shade Room,’ Trina and Towanda Braxton sit down for a candid conversation about their family’s growth two years after losing their beloved sister Traci to esophageal cancer. Additionally, Trina and Towanda share how their family plans to keep Traci’s legacy alive while dishing on their new reality show, ‘The Braxtons,’ with host Thembi.
Grammy-winning recording artist Toni Braxton rose to fame after releasing her self-titled album in 1993. However, Toni wasn’t the only Braxton to end up in the spotlight. In 2011, the singer’s sisters, Towanda, Traci, Trina, Tamar, and her mother, Evelyn, would grace TV screens with their reality series, the ‘Braxton Family Values.’ Over 152 episodes later, the family has become a staple in the lives of their viewers.
Despite the show’s success, the Braxton family faced a heartbreaking tragedy on March 12, 2022, when Traci succumbed to her battle with cancer. Now, two years later, Traci and Towanda have shared how their family is healing while coping with their grief.
“I don’t think anyone ever stops grieving,” Trina explained. “…[But] it’s a day-by-day process… I’ll never be done. But I can still continue to live my life in a positive fashion without feeling such a deep sense of grief and walking around with it every day because it was very heavy on me.”
In turn, Towanda shared how her grieving experience has differed from Trina’s.
“One thing that I know to be true is that you are a spiritual being before you are flesh and blood,” Towanda said. “So with knowing that, it allowed me to understand that Traci — her spirit will never die [and] she will always be with us. Of course, I have moments of like, ‘Damn, she’s not here…’ it’s an awakening. However, I know that Traci — her spirit is on the other side.”
Furthermore, while speaking with Thembi, the sisters opened up about their return to reality TV after a four-year hiatus. Trina and Towanda revealed that before Traci’s death, they promised her they would share her story with the world.
“… We have to tell her story because we promised her that we would,” Towanda explained to Thembi before sharing what viewers can expect to see in the series. “This season with ‘The Braxtons,’ you’ll see some never-before-seen photos and videos of Traci — her son, her one and only son… he is a part of the series as well, and then we’re just walking through this journey together.”
Scroll above to watch as Trina and Towanda share more details about their new reality show and open up about how Traci’s passing has inspired them to live their lives to “the fullest.”
