'The Braxtons' Mentioned the Family's Issues With Traci Braxton's Husband, Kevin Surratt

On Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, The Braxtons returned to WeTV, and it was difficult to see how much had changed since they last gathered on Braxton Family Values. The most significant change was seeing the family together without the person they called in their premiere, their "glue," Traci Braxton.

Traci's personality was impossible to miss during her time on Braxton Family Values. Sadly, her loved ones and fans only have the memories of her quotable moments, as she died of esophageal cancer at 50 in March 2022.

When Traci passed away, she left behind her extended and immediate family, which included her husband, Kevin Surratt, Sr., and their son, Kevin, Jr. Since Traci's death, both Kevins have had personal issues, some of which were discussed during The Braxtons premiere.

While Braxton Family Values showed the Braxton sisters dealing with divorces and breakups, Traci and Kevin Sr. were the series' flagship couple. The pair were married on Aug. 31, 1996, and were together for 25 years before Traci died. Like his wife, Kevin Sr. worked behind the scenes and is known for his work as a producer on a morning talk show called Great Day Washington.

Kevin Sr. and Traci were open about their marriage's ups and downs. In addition to discussing their relationship on the show, they appeared on Marriage Boot Camp: Celebrity Edition in 2014. They resolved their issues after the show and were seemingly on good terms before she died. However, Kevin's relationship with Traci's family shifted following Traci's death. In March 2022, an insider for the sisters expressed their frustrations with Kevin to Page Six.

The insider claimed that Traci's husband and her manager orchestrated a funeral with a viewing and Zoom links against Traci's wishes. They insisted Traci "did not want a funeral or wake" and "specifically requested to be immediately cremated" upon her death. Kevin went ahead with the funeral, though none of Traci's sisters nor her mother showed up. Her father, Michael Braxton, Sr., attended the funeral but was reportedly initially denied access for "not being on the list.”

Kevin stated refuted the insider's claims by telling Page Six the sisters and Evelyn were invited, but decided not to come. He said Traci's father and brother, Michael Jr., "briefly" came to the funeral and weren't pushed away from celebrating Traci's life. Kevin also slammed the sisters for making him out to be a "deadbeat husband" in the media and claimed Traci "wanted a viewing and one memorial service in conjunction with her management, PR, and other members to come together and celebrate her.”

"I was with my wife… more than anybody in this world," Kevin Sr. said. "I know my wife, and when she got cancer, we really started to communicate about funeral plans and I was still trying to find treatments for her. I went to every single one of her doctor appointments throughout our entire marriage. That’s how we were, and now they’re treating me like a [deadbeat] husband.”

Traci and Kevin, Sr. had one child during their marriage, their son, Kevin Surratt, Jr. On BFV, fans often saw Traci and Kevin Jr.'s tight bond. Unfortunately, according to Trina Braxton, Kevin Sr. and Kevin Jr.'s relationship worsened after losing their family's matriarch.

In a scene from The Braxtons premiere, Trina briefly spoke to her husband, Von Scales, about the status of "Big Kev" and "Little Kev's" relationship. She said they don't talk "as often as I would think" during their time of grief. And despite their fallout over Traci's funeral arrangements, Trina said she wants them to get back on track.

"I won't speak negatively about his dad, because his dad was grieving too," she admitted in an interview. "It doesn't matter my personal feelings towards him, he's still a grieving husband. But when your surviving parent is shut down, and the parent you talk to is gone, who do you have? It's almost a loss of both parents."

From what we see of Kevin Sr. and Kevin Jr.'s social media handles, they seem to be trying to build a relationship. However, the premiere also showed that Kevin Jr. is facing some turmoil in his personal life. In the season premiere, he shared that he's getting a divorce from his wife, Olivia Haaron, after three years of marriage. Kevin and Olivia were together for 10 years and have two children.