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‘WORSE PAIN EVER’: Keyshia Cole’s Mother Passes Away on Her Birthday, Family Speaks Out

Keyshia Cole’s mother, Frankie Lons, has passed away after suffering from a decades-long battle with drug addiction.

Lons reportedly passed away from a drug overdose in her Oakland, California, home on Sunday while celebrating her 61st birthday. Both Lons’ daughter Elite Noel and her granddaughter Zayya Henderson confirmed the news on their respective social media accounts.

Frankie Lons’ granddaughter confirms the news that Lons, shown here with her daughter, Keyshia Cole, passed away. (Photo: @zayyahenderson/Facebook)

On her Instagram story, Noel wrote on Monday, July 19, “WORSE PAIN EVER ….. TO SEE MY MAMA IN A BODY BAG ON HER BIRTHDAY! MY HEART SO F-CKIN BROKE!”

In Henderson’s Facebook post, Lons was pictured next to a smiling Cole. She wrote, “Damn grandma Frankie 🥺the call I just got😰 on your birthday . I was just Finna come see you this week I just talked to you 🥺😩 happy birthday beautiful and rest in heaven 🥺🥺🥺.”

Lons’ issues with drug addiction were documented and discussed at great length on episodes of the “Heaven Sent” singer’s reality TV series, “Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is.” After fans got to know Lons and a few other of Cole’s family members, Lons ended up gaining a fanbase of her own. A year after Cole’s show ended, Lons and Cole’s sister Neffeteria Pugh landed their own show called “Frankie and Neffe” on BET, where yet again Lons’ struggle with addiction was shown.

Singer Tiny, Xscape group member, reality TV star and wife of Atlanta rapper T.I., sent her condolences to Cole. She said, “Damn this is super sad! Sending love & our condolences to the family🙏🏽,” and followed up with another comment that said, “We love Frankie!!!! Damn💔.”

R&B group Xscape’s tour DJ, DJ AOne, also sent his condolences, writing, “Rest up Frankie… she was always the life of the party… praying for the Family 🙏🏾.”

Fans of Cole’s reality TV show and the spin-off also commented on the tragic news. One person wrote, “mannnn not frankie😩 this a hard one, i used to love her on keyshia show, frankie & neffe, allat! R.i.p,” and another wrote, “Damn, I felt this because I watched their ups and downs on tv rip to her and condolences to those families.”

Cole has yet to comment on the news.

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