Cheryl Elizabeth Gamble, better known as Coko from the chart-topping ’90s girl group SWV, recently revealed that she was one of the hundreds of people who were stranded on Interstate 95 in northern Virginia after a massive snowstorm touched down in the D.C. area earlier on Monday, Jan. 3, creating gridlock in both directions along a 50-mile stretch of the major Eastern Seaboard road artery.
On Tuesday, Jan. 4, the Grammy-winning singer took to her Instagram account and uploaded a series of photos after she and her son Jayye Michael found themselves stuck in traffic and trapped in their cars for nearly 10 hours during the severe weather storm.
Clips included a photo of herself and cars and trucks stuck on the road alongside her. Coko’s picture went from day to night, showing just how long they had been out there.
“Today is a great day!! I don’t look like what I’ve been through!” the “Rain” singer wrote. “Yesterday I was stuck on I95 north for 9.5 hours! I got stuck on a pile of snow, ppl were kind enough to push me out.”
Coko said that while her “car is damaged a bit,” she and her son were safe. “I made it to a hotel where I shall remain until I can go home,” she later added. “I have NEVER experienced anything like this before!!! I thank God for keeping us safe!!” The “I’m So Into You” songstress ended her post jokingly vowing, “No more road trips! ”
Friends and fans were shocked to hear of the 51-year-old’s experience and were relieved that she was well. “It’s so crazy what happened on I-95, Glad you are okay!” wrote one person.
Another person commented, “I’m so happy you and Jayye are safe!!!! Wishing you an amazing start to this new year and week! Love you!” “Glad yall are safe chileeee I couldn’t imagine what you had to go through or how you felt,” said a third.
Monday’s storm delivered roughly a foot of snow to the northern Virginia region, falling as fast as 3 inches per hour and overwhelming Virginia Department of Transportation efforts to salt the roads. The initial incident began with a major crash involving several tractor-trailers that afternoon, causing a chain reaction of cars to lose control on the dangerously slippery roads. Many motorists were left running on low fuel, freezing, without food or water until traffic began moving by late Tuesday morning.
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