Frankie Lons, the biological mother of R&B singer Keyshia Cole and a regular on BET reality shows, died on July 18, 2021, at age 61 at her home in Oakland, California. TMZ reported, citing the Alameda County Coroner’s Office, that her death was an accidental overdose from multiple drug intoxication.
Viewers came to know Lons through Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is, where she spoke openly about addiction while working to rebuild her bond with her daughter. This report sticks to what news outlets, the coroner’s office and the family have confirmed about her life, her death and what followed.
Quick facts
- Full name: Francine “Frankie” Lons
- Hometown: Oakland, California
- Best known for: BET reality series with Keyshia Cole and the spinoff Frankie & Neffe
- Died: July 18, 2021, at age 61
- Later tribute: The Lifetime film Keyshia Cole: This Is My Story, which premiered June 24, 2023
Who Was Frankie Lons?
Francine “Frankie” Lons was an Oakland native. She and Cole’s biological father, boxing trainer Virgil Hunter, gave Cole up for adoption when the singer was very young, according to TMZ. Family friends Leon and Yvonne Cole raised her, and she reconnected with her biological family as an adult, once her music career took off. Reports differ on how old Cole was when she left her mother’s care, which is covered in the section on conflicting details below.
Cole’s siblings named in coverage are her sisters Neffeteria “Neffe” Pugh and Elite Noel, and her brother Sam. Major outlets agree Lons was 61 when she died.
From The Way It Is to Celebrity Rehab: Her TV Run
Keyshia Cole’s mom reached her own audience through her daughter’s shows. The dates below come from USA TODAY, BET, the Atlanta Journal Constitution and Atlanta Black Star.
- 2006: Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is premiered on BET and ran three seasons through 2008. Lons quickly became a fan favorite.
- 2009: BET gave Lons and Neffe their own spinoff, Frankie & Neffe, which ended in October 2009.
- 2010: She joined season 4 of VH1’s Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that she spent 18 days at the treatment center.
- 2019: Keyshia Cole: My New Life brought mother and daughter back to BET.
Why Viewers Remembered Her
The Atlanta Journal Constitution wrote in 2010 that Lons became famous for outrageous, emotional moments on camera, and that she had coined her own catchphrases, including “Man down!” BET said viewers watched her face her addiction firsthand while she tried to mend her relationships with her daughters. It called her “a resilient woman, mom, and friend.”
One moment stayed with fans. In a clip from My New Life, Billboard reported, she told her daughter, “You have to live for Keyshia,” as the two talked about her sobriety and Cole’s fear of losing her.
Ebony, in its 2021 obituary, said Lons opened the door for reality TV mothers who followed, including Momma Dee of Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta.
Addiction, On Camera and Online
Lons’ struggle played out on her daughter’s shows and on Cole’s social media. Reporting from Atlanta Black Star, Revolt and TMZ shows how it unfolded.
- August 2018: Lons relapsed. Cole wrote on Instagram that each relapse hurt her heart even more, and she hoped families facing addiction would learn how to cope.
- January 2020: On January 25, Cole praised her mother on Instagram for checking into a treatment facility on her own. The post said it had been two weeks.
- 2020: Cole celebrated her mother reaching 60 days of sobriety, according to Revolt.
- July 2021: Lons relapsed during her birthday celebration, according to Cole’s brother Sam. He told TMZ he had been checking on her every day.
July 18, 2021: What Happened
Elite Noel was the first to announce the death, on Instagram. TMZ then reported that Lons overdosed at her Oakland home on a Sunday while celebrating her birthday, citing family members. The family asked that she be remembered as a loving mother who wanted her children together, despite a turbulent history. BET sent its condolences to Cole, Neffe and the family.
Cole broke her silence on July 22 with a slideshow of photos on Instagram. She wrote that she did not know how to feel, that she had spent weeks quoting her mother’s lines, and that her mother’s “humor was unmatched.” She also promised to bring all of her mother’s children together in one place.
Cause of Death: What the Coroner Ruled
In early October 2021, TMZ reported that the Alameda County Coroner’s Office had found multiple drug intoxication and ruled the death accidental. BET carried the report, and TMZ’s July 19, 2021 story had earlier cited her family for the overdose.
Some low quality websites name one specific drug. None of the reporting cited here does.
Funeral and Tributes
The family held the funeral on August 15, 2021, at Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Oakland. Atlanta Black Star reported that relatives released doves and purple and white balloons in her honor. Cole shared photos and video from the service on Instagram the next day.
Since Her Death: The Lifetime Biopic
Lifetime premiered Keyshia Cole: This Is My Story on June 24, 2023, as part of its Black Music Month lineup. Cole starred as herself in her acting debut and served as an executive producer. Actress Debbi Morgan played Lons. Lifetime’s description says the film is dedicated in honor and memory of Frankie, and the GRAMMY Museum hosted a screening followed by a conversation with Cole before the premiere.
TheGrio reported that Cole said in the trailer, “After my mom passed, I wanted to do something to show my love.” In January 2023, while the film was in production, Atlanta Black Star reported that a fan accused Cole of using her late mother for her own benefit. Cole pushed back on the claim.
Where Reports Differ
Outlets do not agree on every detail. These are the main gaps.
- Birthday or the day before: Some outlets say Lons died on her 61st birthday. Others say it was the day before. All agree the date of death was July 18, 2021.
- Birth date: Established outlets report only her age. Sites that list an exact birth date disagree with each other, so none is used here.
- Cole’s age at adoption: TMZ says “a very young age,” some outlets say infancy, and Lifetime’s film description says Cole left her mother’s care at age two.
- First TV appearance: BET’s statement says viewers first met her in Keyshia Cole: All In. Most coverage points to The Way It Is in 2006.
- Funeral weekday: Some reports say Saturday and others say Sunday. August 15, 2021 was a Sunday.
- Rehab month: BET reports February 2020. Cole’s own January 25 post said her mother was two weeks in, which points to January.
Help for Families Facing Addiction
The SAMHSA National Helpline is a free, confidential treatment referral and information service, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, at 1 800 662 4357. It is available in English and Spanish.
Sources: TMZ, BET, Black Enterprise, Atlanta Black Star, theGrio, USA TODAY, Revolt, Billboard, Ebony, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Lifetime, GRAMMY Museum and SAMHSA.
