My fellow Californians – how did you fare in this weekend’s blizzard? I know Northern California was a mess. The snow in Southern California came lower than I expected. I think the border of Pasadena got a light dusting. We got some intimidating hail in my city but couldn’t build any icemen out of it. Big Bear, which was the main topic of my post last week, got over six feet of snow. While that sounds amazing for skiing, those same six feet went on the roads as well. And all the folks who tried to get to the mountains had trouble. Including musician Kelis who thought she’d take her kids – Knight, 13, Shepherd, seven, and Galilee, two, – up to the snow in the middle of the very well-advertised snowstorm and they almost went off a cliff. Fortunately, they were all rescued without injury and are safe now. Kelis had a sense of humor about the whole thing but be warned, this is not for the faint of heart.
Kelis braved a snowstorm in California over the weekend.
Giving a close-up of her car stuck inside a ditch through a candid Instagram video on Sunday, the “Milkshake” singer shared that the plan was “to take the kids to the snow” before her car “almost fell off a cliff” on their way to Big Bear Lake in California’s San Bernardino County.
The area is under a blizzard warning by the National Weather Service. The Big Bear Mountain Resort added on its website that it has seen over six feet of snow in the last six days.
Dressed in an oversized navy green jacket and bright pink coat, the 43-year-old explained in the video that she and her children had been “outside for a while” as a tow truck worked to recover the car safely.She joked: “We’ve been outside for a while, but we had all this snowboarding gear. So God is good. And I figured if you’re going to be in the situation, you should at least look your best. So I’m wearing layers to keep warm.”
“I’ve got my light on, thank God, because it’s pitch black out here,” she continued. “Silver boots, little reflective action. You know, things could be worse. This is ridiculous. Rescue fashion! This is rescue fashion. See? Always be prepared.”
She added the caption, “My plan was to take the kids to the snow , but we almost fell off a cliff ! So make the best of what ya got , n always be prepared lol #bigbear #blizzard #snowstorm #rescue #fashion#grateful”
I posted the Instagram below because I wanted to warn you all first. It put my heart in my throat. I am so very glad that Kelis and her children are safe. I cannot imagine how frightening it must have been to first have the front of her car go over the edge of a cliff with her children inside, but then to stand in those temperatures with young children waiting for rescue. Bless her, she was widowed just under a year ago when her husband Mike Mora succumbed to stomach cancer. This is a lot for one person to handle. Good for her for keeping an upbeat facade for the kids. That probably made the situation seem less scary. Who is filming her? I wonder if she had the kids film her for something to do? Or am I being particularly Gen X here and not realizing how these videos are filmed without needing to hold the camera?
Because this was so scary, I will not unload my thoughts about Kelis’ decision to take three young kids up on a mountain in those conditions. While writing the story last week, before the storm hit, I texted my trainer who I knew was planning a three-day snowboarding trip to Mammoth under the guise of telling her to have fun and be safe. She’d called off the trip to go hiking in Arizona because of the warnings. That was smart. That gave me peace. I wish more people had heeded the warnings. I know it’s Los Angeles, but we can still get messed up by cold weather. I hope everyone stayed safe.
I’m glad everyone is ok! people are absolutely bonkers around snow. PSA: if the main highways are closed due to snow, do not attempt to take the back roads! conditions there are even worse! I live near winter sports areas and you don’t want to try to come here when it’s dumping down. you will get stuck and people will have to endanger themselves to help you! just stay home and wait for the roads to open!
Very very silly (to put it lightly) to go driving in that weather, especially when you’re not used to driving in the snow. I’m just glad everyone is ok
I’m in the CA Central Valley. No snow where I’m at, but rain. And crazy drivers abound.
This.
I’m glad they’re OK, but I will state the obvious: she was an idiot for attempting this in the first place. I grew up in Eastern Canada and learned to drive in the middle of winter, and even I understand that when officials issue warnings to stay off the roads, you listen, unless it’s an emergency, which this wasn’t.
Those with snow tires in California would be in the extreme minority I expect. Glad the family is safe but jeez.
In California you have to have tire chains of cables in order to drive up the mountain during a storm. CHP won’t let you through without them. That being said, none of us in Southern California are capable mountain snow drivers, chains or not. Haha
*or cables…it’s early.
Omg. Glad to hear she’s safe!!! How scary.
NorCal snow ❄️ was a beautiful surprise
If you don’t know how to drive in snow and ice, even light snow and ice, don’t drive in snow and ice. You endanger yourself and others.
Thank God they’re all safe!
I live in Lake Arrowhead and things are bad up here. We’ve gotten more snow than Big Bear and we got what looks like another 2’ last night. Many side streets (mine included) have not seen a plow since Thursday so we are completely snowbound. I’ve read that the blades on snow plows are breaking and they have nowhere to move the snow. A lot of people (especially AirBnB folks who were caught unaware) are posting on FB that they are running out of food/medicine. A State of Emergency has been declared and I think they are going to use loaders to haul snow off the mountain.
I have no idea when we’ll be able to get out.
I guess her milkshake is now frozen.
Thank God she and her family are okay.