Model, nutritionist, and mother to three billionaires—including tech titan Elon Musk—Maye Musk is often referred to as the richest mom in the world. At 76, she has not only built a successful career of her own but also raised three extraordinarily successful children: Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca Musk.

Born in 1948 in South Africa, Maye has worked as a model for over five decades, gracing the covers of major magazines like Vogue, Time, and Sports Illustrated. Remarkably, she returned to runway modeling in her 50s, continuing to redefine standards in the fashion industry.

Maye’s entrepreneurial spirit and work ethic began early. At just eight years old, she was assembling newsletters and stamping envelopes. By 12, she was working as a receptionist with her twin sister at their father’s office. This drive and discipline would later be mirrored by her children.

At age 22, Maye married Errol Musk, a South African engineer she met in high school. They had three children:

• Elon Musk, co-founder of Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, xAI, and more, who also acquired Twitter (now X) in a $44 billion deal. As of now, his net worth is estimated at $290.3 billion, making him one of the richest individuals on Earth.

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• Kimbal Musk, a chef and entrepreneur, founded The Kitchen restaurant chain and serves on the boards of both Tesla and SpaceX. His net worth as of 2021 was approximately $700 million.

• Tosca Musk, co-founder of Passionflix, a streaming platform that adapts romance novels into movies. Her net worth was estimated at just under $170 million in 2022.

While Maye herself is worth an estimated $45 million, the combined success of her children solidifies her reputation as the wealthiest and most accomplished mom in the world.

However, her journey was far from easy. After enduring nine years of domestic abuse, she left her marriage at 31 with no money and raised her three children alone. In interviews and her memoir, she’s spoken openly about the emotional and physical abuse she suffered during her marriage.

“He was very rich but made sure I had nothing,” Maye recalled. “He told me I was stupid, ugly, and boring.” She also described how her ex-husband would undermine her parenting, discarding her children’s belongings and accusing her of abuse to gain leverage in custody battles.

One heartbreaking moment stands out: she described how a 5-year-old Elon once tried to protect her by hitting his father on the knees to stop the violence.

Despite it all, Maye focused on building a better life. Her strength, independence, and resilience have inspired not just her children—but millions around the world. “People think I’m positive and fun,” she once said. “But I had to talk about what I endured.”

Today, Maye Musk stands as a powerful symbol of perseverance, and her family’s remarkable success is a testament to her strength and sacrifices.