Kelis’ husband Mike Mora has died aged 37 after battling stage four stomach cancer.
Photographer Mike revealed he had cancer in September 2021 and had been diagnosed a year earlier – at which time doctors had given him just 18 months left to live.
Reps for Kelis, 42, confirmed her husband’s death in a statement (via ET), asking fans to respect her privacy at this time.
R.I.P: Kelis’ husband Mike Mora has died aged 37 after battling stage four stomach cancer (pictured together in October 2021)
‘Sadly, it’s true that Mike Mora has passed away. We would ask all to respect Kelis and her family’s privacy as of right now. Thank you,’ said Steve Satterhwaite, of Red Light Management.
The singer has yet to publicly comment about her husband’s passing on her social media platforms.
Kelis and Mora married in 2014, and welcomed son Shepherd in 2015 a daughter in September 2020 whose name has not been revealed.
Long-term pair: Kelis and Mike wed in 2014, and in September 2020 they welcomed their second child a daughter. They also share a six-year-old son named Shepherd
The singer also shares 12-year-old son Knight with her ex-husband Nas, who she was married to from 2005 to 2010.
Kelis and Mora have been living on a remote farm in Temecula, California, outside of Los Angeles since January 2020, which they had managed together and raised their kids.
Mora took to his Instagram in late September 2021 to reveal he had stage 4 stomach cancer which was spreading to the lymph nodes in his back.
Cancer: Mora took to his Instagram in late September 2021 to reveal he had stage 4 stomach cancer which was spreading to the lymph nodes in his back
He shared a photo of a man from UCLA, which, ‘was taken as I was being transferred to the oncology section of UCLA Santa Monica from nearby Ronald Reagan hospital.’
‘This gentleman, Latin brotha, saw how weak I was. He looked back at me before leaving my room and said “I’ve seen people make it out of the craziest situations, be strong brotha, you got this.” I’ll never forget his face….’ Mora said.
‘They said 18 months. It’s been exactly 12. Here we go.. Scared as F¥#% … The story will continue.. Love you @kelis,’ he concluded.
A month later he posted a ‘scary’ diagnosis form that circled the words ‘Gastric adenocarcinoma with diffuse type/signet ring cell features (poorly cohesive carcinoma).’
‘The story continues,’ he captioned the post. ‘So the morning of my last UCLA hospital stay, doctors came in my room and gave me the most horrifying, unexpected news.. I did not understand the language written on this paper. All I knew from the look in their faces was that it wasn’t a good diagnosis. It was the worst diagnosis. And they were scared for me. I asked how they were going to help me. They said they couldn’t do anything else for me. I had to search on my for some sort of solution.. Scary days.’
‘The story will continue. Love you Kelis,’ he added.
Another photographer, Brian Bowen Smith, shared a heartfelt tribute on his Instagram on Monday.
Tribute: Another photographer, Brian Bowen Smith, shared a heartfelt tribute on his Instagram on Monday
Tribute: Musician Dallas Austin also posted a tribute on Instagram, adding, ‘All i can say is that we LOVE YOU DEARLY Mikey,’ with a red heart emoji
‘Saddened to hear the news about our dear friend Mike passing away last night. Working with you was such a pleasure. I loved all of your questions and your passion for your family and photography,’ he began.
‘Reminds me of me. Sending love to his wife and family. Mike had been sick for a minute but he loved being on set. Today we will be thinking of you at every frame. Great example of why you need to live every day to the fullest.
‘And be great full for every day your here. Love you MM. Way to soon. He was an amazing photographer and would have gone far. Sweetest guy I ever met. check out his page @mikemorafotos,’ he concluded.
Musician Dallas Austin also posted a tribute on Instagram, adding, ‘All i can say is that we LOVE YOU DEARLY Mikey,’ with a red heart emoji.
‘This is so damn sad. When I interviewed her Kelis seemed so happy. They just had a baby!’ author Roxane Gay tweeted.
‘This is so depressing. When I met Kelis, we bonded over Mike and I being Colombians from the same town and my god, she was glowing just telling me about him and his family and all the Colombian food they cooked together,’ writer Alberto Daily tweeted. ‘I can’t imagine this pain.’
‘Sending love to Kelis,’ actress Kelechi Okafor tweeted following the news.
‘Sending Kelis and her babies all of my love. I was hoping her husband’s story wouldn’t end this way,’ writer Amber Janae tweeted.
