This is truly shocking. Gabe Solis — known to Braxton Family Values fans as Trina Braxton‘s former husband — has reportedly died at just 43-years-old. He had been battling cancer and had kept the disease a secret to even those close to family according to TMZ, who first reported the news. Trina and Gabe were together quite awhile, marrying in 2003 but divorcing in 2015. He passed at his home in his native Texas, surrounded by family on Dec. 21. We’ve reached out to the Braxton family and Gabe’s family for comment.
The news is so surprising because Gabe didn’t give any hints he was in poor health. On Dec. 8 on his Instagram page he shared a pic out having lunch with some family members and he didn’t appear to be sick, smiling and looking healthy in the photo at a San Antonio Mexican cafe. He posted aa photo the same day picking up a giant glazed donut from the famed Texas joint Round Rock Donuts, writing “Yum!”. Now people are leaving condolence messages on those pages
Fans of Braxton Family Values know Gabe well Trina’s relationship ups and downs were a hot topic on the show, even after their split. Just this year they appeared on an episode of Iyanla: Fix My Life to settle their differences and move forward with their lives .”I’m angry at you for bullying me and pushing me around” he told her through tears, explaining she’d become like an “enemy” to him. He admitted he did love her and enjoyed being with her but that he stayed with her because she was something he was used to, which was being “belittled, bullied…pushed around.” Eventually they found closure.
The software designer met the future reality star at an Atlanta bar called American Pie. According to his WE TV bio page, “On their first real date they both claimed that they didn’t want to get into a serious relationship with each other and just wanted to have fun – and the opposite happened. After a year and a half, Gabe took Trina to see Dreamgirls at the Fox Theater, and on the rooftop of the Georgian Terrace Hotel after, he proposed. Trina said ‘yes’ but didn’t like the ring so they later exchanged it.”
Something was definitely up when earlier in the day, Trina put up an Instagram post that read “I need a HUG…E bottle of wine” but no caption on why she heeded a hug and a drink. Now fans are filling her comments with messages of condolences. Gabe’s former sister in law Tamar Braxton shared Trina’s post and included sad faced emoji. Sister Towanda concurred writing “Me too” in the comments, adding an emoji face blowing a kiss to “Tree-Nee” and tagged Trina.