Kelis opens up for the first time about how she’s dealing with the loss of her husband, Mike Mora, after his two-year battle with stomach cancer. She shares how she’s maintaining positivity through grief in a new interview. Here’s the word she gave inside…
Doing things on her own terms, Kelis has opened up about the tragic loss of her husband Mike Mora, for the time since his death. Back in March, Mike passed away after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 stomach cancer in 2020. He was just 37-years-old.
In a new interview with PEOPLE, the singer-turned-chef-turned farmer shared how she and her children are dealing with grief following Mike’s transition. Although she is “heartbroken” her husband is no longer here physically, she said she’s grateful they were able to say goodbye and cherish special moments together before his death.
“It wasn’t something that was sudden. We were able to prepare, and love, and say goodbye,” Kelis said. “We were able to spend the time that we needed to, as much as we were given, the best way that we could,” she continued. “Is it a great situation? No, it’s freaking awful, but I am grateful.”
The 43-year-old singer and the real estate agent/photogrpaher secretly tied the knot in 2014, before welcoming two children together, Shepherd, 7, and daughter Galilee, 1 (who celebrates a birthday this month). Mike was also step-father to Kelis’ teenage son, Knight, whom she shares with rapper Nas.
Her children were “always super aware” of the situation and they were able to process it all together.
“It was out of our hands from the beginning. We’re just grateful for what we had,” she said. “It’s part of life. It doesn’t change the fact that I’m heartbroken… but it does change how I choose to approach it. It reminds you how short time is, and how we don’t have any control. I want to control what I can control — how I treat the people around me. I’m really big on celebrating people when they’re here. I don’t feel like it’s as useful when they’re gone.”
“It reminds you how short time is, and how we don’t have any control,” she continued. “I want to control what I can control — how I treat the people around me. I’m really big on celebrating people when they’re here. I don’t feel like it’s as useful when they’re gone.”
As she moves forward with her life following her husband’s death, the “Bossy” singer will celebrate the 20th anniversary of her third solo album, Tasty, which features her Grammy-nominated hit, “Milkshake.”
“This is going to sound really cocky and really arrogant, but I saw a picture of myself that someone posted [from the Tasty era] earlier today, and I was like, ‘You know what, I was freaking killing it,’” she recalled. “Sometimes you just need to remind yourself, ‘I’ve been this, and I’ve been doing it.’ It’s OK to say that.”
Totally agree!
When she’s not hitting the stage overseas or sharing cooking tips online, she’s caring for her farm and garden. She moved on her farm because she wanted to raise her children a certain way.
”I farm because I want to eat a certain way, and I want my kids to grow up a certain way,” she shared. “I want to breathe a certain way. I want to walk a certain way, and I don’t want to be told how to do it. It’s Kelis Land. It’s my space.”
Gotta love it.
Photo: Kelis’ IG
