Mike Mora, the longtime husband of singer Kelis, passed away after having stomach cancer. He was 37 years old.
As Blavity previously reported, the pair were married in 2014 and share two children. Mora was also the stepfather to Kelis’s son, Knight, from her previous relationship with rapper Nas.
Evan Ross, the son of legendary singer Diana Ross and longtime friend of Mora’s, shared the news on his Instagram page, Page Six reports.
“We lost a brother Yesterday. We will truly miss you, Mike,” he wrote in a since-deleted tweet, according to the Post. “Thinking of some of the great times we all spent together. Everything I saw you do. Was built in passion. I loved connecting again with you. Hearing about your children and the life you and your wife have built. I’m sending all the prayers and love to your family brother.”
The news came as a shock to fans of the “Milkshake” singer, who is notorious for keeping her private life out of the spotlight. Here are five things to know about Kelis’s late husband.
Mora was a photographer.
Mora had stage-four stomach cancer.
Mora had stage-four stomach cancer, which, according to the American Cancer Society, generally affects older people. Stomach cancer rates in the U.S. have been decreasing by about 1.5% over the years, but men are more likely to get it than women.
He initially thought his cancer was just an ulcer.
In 2020, shortly after the couple moved to a farm in Los Angeles, he began experiencing stomach pains.
“I thought the whole time that I just had an ulcer. With no idea what was about to come my way,” he wrote on Instagram. “Here I was, in a hospital bed, during the middle of the pandemic. All alone. At just 36, with 3 kiddos, and a wife that loves me. I want to be able to help those that might be experiencing something like this – a life-altering disease full of questions and doubt – maybe, hopefully. By showing that it’s possible to make it through. You always see people post about how life is too short. How you should reach out to those you love no matter where life has taken you. It is the truth. Don’t take your time here, your time with friends, family, for granted.”
He frequently gushed over Kelis.
Mora and Kelis were married in 2014, but he treated every day they were together like they were on their honeymoon. He would frequently gush over how much he loved her, including an instance when he shared an Instagram photo of the singer-turned-chef with the caption, “GIFT,” back in 2018.
Kelis' management team confirmed Mora's death in a statement.
“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,” Steve Satterhwaite, of Red Light Management, told ET.
