The Heartbreaking Story Of Kelis' Husband Mike Mora

Kelis Rogers, known best as simply Kelis, rose to fame in the early 2000s with hit songs like "Milkshake" and "Not in Love." In 2002, Kelis met rapper and songwriter Nas at Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' MTV Video Music Awards afterparty, according to Distractify. They hit it off and married three years later. In 2009, Kelis and Nas announced they were expecting their first child together, but their marriage was falling apart at the same time. What appeared to be a match made in music heaven ended in heartbreak, and Kelis filed for divorce when she was seven months pregnant. After taking some time to heal from her relationship with Nas, Kelis would find love again, this time with Mike Mora.

Kelis and Mora, who worked as a photographer, tied the knot in 2014 and had two children together, according to Billboard. Around the time their second child was born in September 2020, Mora began experiencing health issues. His symptoms included "loss of appetite," as well as pain in his back. In an Instagram post uploaded on September 29, 2021, Mora said he thought he just had an "ulcer," but his diagnosis was much worse. Mora had stage IV stomach cancer at the age of 36 and was given 18 months to live.

Through a series of Instagram posts, Mike Mora did his best to keep his spirits up and keep fans in the loop when it came to his treatment and how he'd been feeling. "I never thought this could happen to me. 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," he posted to Instagram on September 29, 2021. 

A couple of weeks later, he shared a photo of his official diagnosis. "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," he wrote on Instagram. Each time Mora shared an update, he ended the caption the same way: "The story will continue. Love you @Kelis."

October 14, 2021 marked Mike Mora's last Instagram post about his cancer battle. He would go on to share three more posts on his feed over the next year. In November 2021, he shared a photo of a horse on Instagram with prayer hands and a dove emoji in the caption. On January 1, 2022, Mora uploaded a black-and-white photo of his wife. "P L A Y W I T I T I F U W A N T 2," he captioned the Instagram share. Mora's last Instagram post was another black-and-white shot, this one of oxen. "F A R M R A I S E D," his caption reads.

In March 2022, Kelis confirmed that Mora had died. "After a tough two year battle with cancer, we are devastated to have to confirm the loss of our beloved brother Mike. An amazing Father, husband, and friend who gave so genuinely and cared so deeply for his family and friends. Through this difficult period, we ask that you respect the privacy of Kelis and her Family at this time," Kelis' rep shared in a statement to People. 

The comments section of Mora's last few Instagram posts are filled with condolences following his tragic death. He is survived by his three children (two with Kelis and his step-son from Kelis's marriage to Nas).