The Untold Story of Atila Altaunbay: Grace Jones’ Mysterious Ex-Husband

Have you ever heard of Atila Altaunbay? Many people haven’t — and yet, he was once married to the legendary singer, model, and actress Grace Jones.

Atila wasn’t a celebrity. He didn’t grow up in the spotlight. In fact, he started off as a pizza delivery boy. But somehow, his life took a surprising turn — one that led him to become Grace Jones’ only husband. And later, he completely vanished from the public eye.

In this article, we’ll explore the untold story of Atila Altaunbay — from his quiet beginnings to his dramatic marriage with Grace Jones, and the mystery around his death in 2021. Let’s start from the beginning.

Atila Altaunbay Quick Bio

Atila Altaunbay’s Early Life and Roots

Atila Altaunbay was born in 1976 in Turkey, into a Muslim family. He came from a traditional background, where family rules and cultural beliefs were taken seriously.

As a young boy, Atila moved to Belgium, where he spent most of his childhood. Life wasn’t glamorous — it was quiet and simple. He stayed away from fame and lived like any regular young man. His upbringing was strict, and as the youngest son, he was expected to wait for his older brothers to marry first.

That rule would later cause serious problems when he fell in love with Grace Jones.

Before Fame Found Him

Before anyone knew his name, Atila worked as a pizza delivery driver in Belgium. He also studied and trained in important skills like CPR, AED, and martial arts, which later helped him become a professional bodyguard.

But Atila wasn’t just focused on security work. He had a softer side too. He loved music and took singing lessons. He sang at weddings and even tried modelling and acting. At one point, he appeared in a small film called Mind Games.

He didn’t have much money or fame, but he had talent and ambition.

How Atila Altaunbay Met Grace Jones

Atila’s life changed forever in the late 1980s. That’s when he met Grace Jones in a club in Belgium. At the time, he was working as a bodyguard, and she was already a world-famous singer, actress, and fashion icon.

Grace noticed him right away. He was tall, muscular, and quiet — everything she liked in a man. She offered him a better job with better pay, and that’s how their journey together began.

At first, their relationship was strictly professional. But the more time they spent together, the more they connected. Slowly, something unexpected happened — they fell in love.

An Unusual Love Story with a Bold Proposal

It’s not every day that a global superstar proposes to her bodyguard. But that’s exactly what Grace did.

During a trip to Rio de Janeiro for Carnival, Grace Jones proposed to Atila Altaunbay — and he said yes. It shocked everyone. Why? Because of the age gap. Grace was 48, and Atila was only 21.

They didn’t care about what people thought. To them, love was enough. Their story quickly became the talk of the media. Some people were surprised. Others were confused. But Grace and Atila seemed happy, and that was all that mattered at the time.

The Secret Wedding in Brazil

Grace and Atila got married on February 24, 1996, in Rio de Janeiro. The wedding was private and held at a close friend’s home. It was officiated by a Presbyterian minister, and about 50 guests were invited.

After the ceremony, the couple didn’t throw a huge party. Instead, they went straight to the gym for a workout. Later, they flew to New York to enjoy their honeymoon.

The marriage may have seemed sudden, but for Grace, Atila was the one. He became her only legal husband, even though she had other public relationships in the past.

Family Pressure and Cultural Clash

But not everyone was happy about the marriage. Atila’s Muslim family strongly disapproved.

As the youngest son, Atila was supposed to wait until all his older brothers got married first. By marrying Grace, he broke that rule — and it caused a rift in his family.

He lost contact with his relatives, and some reports say he was even banned from returning home for a while. This was a heavy price to pay for love, but Atila went through with it anyway.

He chose Grace, even when it meant turning away from everything he knew.

Grace Jones and Atila Altaunbay’s Marriage Life

In the early years, things seemed good. Atila settled into his new life with Grace. He even became a stepfather to her son, Paulo Goude, from a previous relationship.

He supported Grace during her music and film projects. They kept their personal life mostly private, but they were spotted together at public events from time to time. Atila was always by her side — quietly supporting her behind the scenes.

For a while, they looked like an unusual but happy couple.

The Sudden Breakup and Scary Incident

As time went on, things started to change.

Grace later revealed that Atila became territorial and possessive. He wasn’t jealous all the time, but when he was, it led to serious fights.

One day, during an argument, Atila allegedly pulled a knife on Grace in the kitchen. She was shocked and scared. That moment became the breaking point in their relationship.

Soon after, Atila disappeared from her life, leaving without a word. And from that moment, everything changed.

A Mysterious Disappearance and No Divorce

After that shocking fight, Atila Altaunbay walked away from Grace Jones and never came back. He disappeared completely from her life. For a long time, no one knew where he went or what happened to him.

Grace tried to find him. She even wanted to go through a legal divorce, but she couldn’t reach him. As of today, there’s no record showing that the two were ever officially divorced. They simply went their separate ways — emotionally and physically.

Even in her 2015 book I’ll Never Write My Memoirs, Grace said Atila was the only man she truly married, and that he simply vanished after the marriage ended.

Where Did Atila Altaunbay Go After That?

So, where did Atila Altaunbay go?

According to reports, he moved back to Belgium — the country where he had grown up. But instead of chasing fame or attention, he chose a very quiet life.

He started helping others. He joined a group called Helping Hands Belgium, where he worked on charity projects to support people in need. He helped fight poverty and supported poor communities. He didn’t speak to the media. He just wanted peace.

A few small posts on Facebook showed him with the charity group, but beyond that, he stayed completely out of the spotlight.

How Did Atila Altaunbay Die?

In October 2021, sad news came out. Atila Altaunbay had died at just 45 years old.

The announcement came from Helping Hands Belgium, the same charity he worked with. They posted a message on Facebook saying they had lost their beloved president and friend. It was clear that he meant a lot to the people there.

His funeral took place at the Antwerpen Mehmet Akif Mosque in Belgium. Only close family and friends were allowed to attend. No media, no big announcements.

But here’s the strange part — no official cause of death was ever shared. To this day, people don’t know what really happened. Some wonder if there was more to the story. But nothing has been confirmed.

Atila Altaunbay’s Net Worth and Legacy

Even though Atila Altaunbay stayed out of the public eye, he still managed to build a life of value. His estimated net worth at the time of his death was around $800,000.

He made money from different jobs — as a bodyguard, a model, and even a singer. Some of his income may have come from public appearances or short acting gigs.

But perhaps his true legacy wasn’t about money. It was about the quiet kindness he showed through his charity work. After all the drama and attention from his time with Grace Jones, Atila chose to give back. That says a lot about who he really was.

Final Thoughts

The life of Atila Altaunbay was full of surprises. He started out as a regular guy in Belgium. Then, he became the husband of a global superstar, faced pressure from his family and the media, and finally chose a quiet life helping others.

Even after his death, there are still many questions. Why did he leave so suddenly? What really caused his death? Why didn’t he stay in touch?

We may never know the full story. But one thing is clear: Atila Altaunbay lived a life that was anything but ordinary — and his story is one people won’t forget.