The recent Southern California fires have shaken the nation, and we still feel the flames’ reverberating effects, like witnessing people lose their homes in real-time. Singer Jhene Aiko is one of many celebrities who revealed that she lost her home in the tragic fires. Unfortunately, this isn’t her first time experiencing this kind of loss, as her family home burned down when she was in 2nd grade.
“Me and my children’s home is gone… burned to the ground with all of our things inside. Lord have mercy. Thankful we still have each other…starting from scratch. My heart is so heavy,” she wrote in her Instagram stories.
The artist is a mother of two children–Namiko Love Browner, who she shares with artist O’Ryan, and her youngest, Noah Hasani, who she shares with rapper Big Sean.
Despite the tragedy Aiko is experiencing, she found enough compassion to extend empathy to other fire victims in a follow-up post shared in her Instagram stories.
“Praying for everyone this morning. Those who lost their home. Those who lost their life’s work, those who lost their life. Praying for my city. Praying for the wildlife and lost pets. Praying for the world—let suffering be a gift; a lesson in compassion.”
After revealing that she lost her home on social media, the From Time singer received an influx of criticism from social media users who didn’t feel she deserved empathy because she is assumedly more well off than other victims. Aiko, who typically drinks water and minds her business, had a response for said social media users.
“With all due respect, so many of you are loud and wrong,” she began. “I worked very hard for many years, through a lot of pain, to provide my children with this house. I put everything into it. Praying none of you ever experience this.”
The 36-year-old mother of two also followed with another response for social media users who were pocket-watching.
“The fact some of you think I have Paris Hilton money is wild. I don’t got it like that but I do have a big, loving family, that is worth more than anything,” she wrote in the comment section of The Shade Room. “When I was in the 2nd grade, our home burned down with everything in it. I never understood why some of the kids at school were so mean about it, because they thought we were rich when we weren’t. But they thought we were rich because we had love!! My family and our friends came together and made sure my mom and me and my siblings had at least 1 new sweat suit and 1 new pair of shoes the very next day.”
We send love and comfort to Aiko, her family, and everyone affected by the fires.
