Maye, the mother of billionaire Elon Musk, triumphed over 15 years of adversity, single-handedly raised her children, and achieved supermodel status at the age of over 70.
Maye Musk was selected as the cover model for the January edition of Taler China. On January 23, she showcased her fashion ensemble for the magazine, featuring a red silk cape dress complemented by a coordinating feathered hat.
At the age of 76, Maye Musk achieved recognition as a supermodel, despite having begun her modeling career at the age of 15. Over the years, she has graced the covers of Vogue and Time, appeared in music videos by Beyoncé, and served as the face of Revlon cosmetics. Additionally, she is a qualified nutritionist and has authored her first lifestyle guide.
In 2019, while promoting her memoir that chronicles her 70 years of life, she expressed, ‘I used to accept misfortune, but fortunately, I managed to overcome fate and rediscover joy in life. Thus, I wish to share my journey to inspire those who feel lost.’ Maye Musk endured numerous years of distress and challenges.
She married Erroll Musk in 1970 and is the mother of three children: Elon Musk, Kimbal Musk, and Tosca Musk. In a 2019 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, both she and Elon accused Erroll of emotional abuse, stating, ‘People who knew me referred to him as a ‘pig’ due to the way he treated me poorly in public. I was too frightened to admit I had made a mistake. He would call me stupid, ugly, and boring.’
As stated by Maye and Elon, Elon’s father was affluent yet frugal, frequently refraining from purchasing clothing for his children. The couple separated after nine years of marriage when Elon Musk was eight years old, which thrust the family into a state of poverty and struggle. Maye and her children relocated from South Africa to Toronto, Canada. In subsequent interviews, Maye frequently referred to the term ‘survival’ when reflecting on the challenging 15 years. She recounted to Vogue: ‘For an extended period following the divorce, I was devastated. I was profoundly concerned about my ability to raise my children. Those were trying times. Alone with three young children and no source of income. I wept when they spilled milk because I could not afford to replace it.’
At that time, Maye was juggling five jobs to support her family. To enable her children to attend free classes at the University of Toronto, she accepted a position as a lab assistant. The first purchase she made with her initial paycheck was a rug, as their apartment was quite empty.
‘The next item I acquired was a computer for Elon, so he could sit on the rug and use it,’ she recounted in a 2015 interview with Vogue. Without any men in the household, Maye took it upon herself to handle all repairs. ‘My youngest daughter, Tosca, recalls the day I hurt my hand while hammering a nail. She remarked,
Maye Musk instilled a sense of independence in her children from a young age by assisting them in job applications, including helping Elon Musk secure a position at Microsoft and aiding her son Kimbal in obtaining a part-time role at a bank.
In a 2019 interview with CNBC, she expressed that her primary goal was to teach her children essential life skills such as self-care, kindness, compassion, and politeness. She refrained from treating them as mere children, did not reprimand them for failures, never compelled them to adhere to a strict study routine, and did not monitor their homework. She noted that Elon was diligent but focused solely on subjects that piqued his interest.
In addition to providing support for her children in their endeavors, she is regarded as a considerate mother. During challenging times, Elon Musk and his brother were unable to purchase a birthday gift for their mother. They presented her with a toy house and a miniature car model, promising to buy her a real one in the future. ‘That toy house is truly what matters most to me,’ Maye expressed to Tatler. In recent years, she has consistently challenged the Biden administration for overlooking Tesla’s significant contributions to the electric vehicle sector.
