Even though she is the mother of one of the wealthiest men alive, Maye Musk wasn’t brought up in luxury and learned early on to live without. That hasn’t changed much, even now. When she visits her son, she sleeps wherever there’s space.
Maye Musk has modeled for global brands, graced magazine covers, and become a best-selling author in her seventies. However, her name often draws attention because her eldest son is billionaire Elon Musk. Surprisingly, though, she sleeps in the garage when she visits him.
She’s spoken about it publicly, not as a complaint, but as a matter-of-fact detail that stands out given Elon’s financial status. But it’s consistent with choices he has publicly made about his living arrangements.
The Scale of Elon Musk’s Wealth
Elon is widely recognized as one of the richest individuals in the world. His wealth is spread across multiple companies he has founded or co-founded, including electric car maker Tesla, rocket manufacturer SpaceX, and artificial intelligence startup xAI.
As of late 2024, he owned about 12% of Tesla, excluding options, though more than half of his shares had been pledged as collateral for personal loans totaling up to $3.5 billion. Earlier that year, a Delaware judge voided his 2018 compensation agreement, which had included options equaling an additional 9% of Tesla stock.
Forbes discounted those options by 50% pending the outcome of his appeal. He also holds major stakes in his other companies. SpaceX, founded in 2002, was valued at $350 billion in a private share sale in December 2024, with Elon holding an estimated 42% stake. In 2022, he acquired Twitter in a $44 billion deal and later renamed it X.
By August 2024, Forbes estimated that X had declined in value by nearly 70%. His newest venture, xAI, launched in 2023, was valued at $50 billion by private investors in November 2024. Elon owns approximately 54% of the company. Despite the scale of these holdings, Elon has publicly stated that he does not measure his life by material assets.
Elon’s Public Statements About Letting Go of Possessions
In May 2020, Elon posted a series of statements on social media outlining his plan to give up nearly all his personal assets. “I am selling almost all physical possessions. Will own no house,” he wrote. In a follow-up post, he added, “Don’t need the cash. Devoting myself to Mars and Earth. Possession just weigh you down. [sic]”
The following year, in June 2021, he clarified that his main residence was a house in Boca Chica, Texas, near the SpaceX site. He described it as “literally a ~$50k house” that he rented from SpaceX. “It’s kinda awesome though,” he wrote.
At the time, the only property he owned outright was an events house in the Bay Area. He said that if he ever sold it, it would likely only be useful to a large family.
Why Elon’s Mother Slept in the Garage at His Texas Home
During a 2022 appearance on the “Full Send” podcast, Elon described his main residence. The house, located near the SpaceX launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas, cost around $45,000. “It’s very small,” he said. Originally a two-bedroom home, he converted the garage into a third room.
The property was chosen for its location. “I can just literally walk to the rocket factory,” Elon explained. He also mentioned a Boxabl unit on-site, used as a guesthouse. “If a friend comes and stays or something, then they can stay in the Boxabl if they want,” he said.
Elon noted that visitors were often surprised. “Friends of mine come, can stay, and they’re like—they can’t believe I’m staying in this house,” he shared. That same year, Maye shared what her visits looked like. “I have to sleep in the garage,” she told The Times.
She gave a simple reason: “You can’t have a fancy house near a rocket site.” She also added that Elon wasn’t concerned with luxury. “He’s not interested in possessions,” She said, “No, not at all in that sense.” Maye doesn’t mind the living conditions her son chooses. She’s lived with less.
Flying Over the Kalahari with Just Maps and a Motto
Maye was born in Canada but raised in South Africa, where her early years were marked by frequent travel and a high tolerance for discomfort. Her father was a single-propeller pilot who took the family flying through remote areas in search of what he called the “lost city of the Kalahari.”
She described sleeping outdoors, sometimes with lions or hyenas nearby. Her father had a saying that he repeated often: “Live dangerously, carefully”—a phrase she said could now apply just as well to her eldest son. These early lessons followed her into adulthood and influenced how she navigated the next phase of her life.
Abusive Marriage and Becoming a Single Mother
Maye later married Errol Musk, a South African engineer, but the relationship turned violent and emotionally abusive. She described the experience in detail during her interview with The Times, recalling how she was routinely insulted and physically assaulted.
“Every day, he would scream at me and say, ‘You’re ugly. You’re stupid. You’re boring.’ I would think, ‘I can’t be that ugly. I am modelling.’ But then he would beat me up, so you don’t argue back,” she said. She added that the situation “kept on getting worse.”
Within three years, she had given birth to Elon, his brother Kimbal, and sister Tosca. Maye became a single mother after leaving her marriage. Although she refrained from using Errol’s name during the interview, she acknowledged his skills in engineering. “He was a good engineer. He really was a good engineer,” stated the model.
Raising three young children alone, Maye faced the challenges of single parenthood. Her focus remained on ensuring their well-being and maintaining stability, even as that meant uprooting their lives more than once in search of better opportunities.
Instability and Sacrifice After Divorce
Following the end of her marriage, Maye relocated with Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca, moving between South Africa, Canada, and the United States. The years that followed were marked by financial instability and limited resources. During one move to Canada, the family’s luggage went missing and did not arrive for five months.
“I had to wear Elon’s and Tosca’s clothes, because I couldn’t afford to buy new clothes,” she shared. Reflecting on that period, she described it as unsettling. “It’s horrifying when you look back,” she said. Despite the challenges, she remained focused on raising her children with a sense of autonomy and practical decision-making.
“When the kids were young, I always taught them to ask for what they wanted,” she said. “When they wanted my advice, I gave it.” She did not impose her plans on her children.
Instead, she encouraged them to follow their interests and supported their decisions along the way. This foundation would prove important as Elon began to show early signs of unusual ability and interest in technology.
Recognizing Elon’s Genius and Early Breakthroughs
Elon’s mom first noticed his advanced abilities when he was just three years old. By the time he was 12, he had developed a computer game on his own. She showed the game to university students who were studying computer science.
“They were surprised that he knew all the coding shortcuts,” she recalled. “These guys were in their second and third year in computer science, and they were very impressed.” She often referred to him as “Genius Boy” and said he “remembered everything he read.”
Long before widespread access to the internet, Maye said her children could ask Elon anything, and he would usually have an answer. “This was before the internet. I guess now we would call him the internet,” said Maye. Kimbal also played a role in helping Elon move his skills into a business setting.
According to Maye, Kimbal was involved in their first company, a web software business called Zip2, where he helped explain the product’s functions to people who were unfamiliar with computers. She said Kimbal could break down concepts like what a cursor or a mouse was, and why the program mattered.
The company eventually sold, earning Elon $22 million. While she didn’t always agree with his ideas—such as starting an electric car company and launching rockets—Maye said, “He should do whatever he wants.”
She supported his decisions even when they differed from her advice. But while Elon and his siblings were building careers of their own, Maye was also redefining her own path.
Late-Life Modeling Career and Global Recognition
Maye’s modeling career, which began early in life, gained significant momentum much later. Things changed in her late fifties, after she let her hair turn gray and cut it short. From that point on, she began receiving more bookings and noticed that her natural appearance was being embraced.
She shared that she had not used Botox and said clients had never asked her to alter the way she looked. In her seventies, Maye became widely recognized in the fashion world. She was named a global ambassador for Dior Beauty and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.
Speaking about the photoshoot, she acknowledged feeling uncomfortable with the idea at first and commented that she had never been the type of model associated with traditional swimsuit campaigns.
While visiting Korea, she said people approached her with copies of the magazine and asked her to sign them. She believed they might have been reselling the autographed covers, but said she didn’t know who was buying them. Outside of modeling, Maye is also a dietitian.
She describes herself as someone with a strong interest in science, calling herself a “geek” and explaining that while she used to fit the appearance typically associated with that label, she no longer does. Her book, “A Woman Makes a Plan,” was released in 2019 and translated into 30 languages.
Although she had planned for the book to focus on nutrition, she said that part of the content was placed later in the book than she expected. At the time of the interview with The Times, she was working on another book centered on her childhood and her father’s influence.
Personal Life and Values Today
Despite her public presence and professional accomplishments, Maye chooses to live simply. She currently resides in a small apartment in New York, which she described as the best home she has ever had. “I don’t need big. I don’t need wasted space because with it come responsibilities, [sic]” she stated.
She has shared glimpses of her routine on social media, including early morning starts and walks with her dog. Whether attending fashion events or running errands, she often alternates between designer clothing and casual outfits that include what she called “old clothes, a shabby coat, a hat, and dark glasses.”
Throughout her public statements, Maye has emphasized self-reliance, practicality, and maintaining close relationships with her children. Her choices reflect an approach to living that values function over luxury—something that aligns closely with her son Elon’s.
The mother and son have maintained a visible connection, appearing together in public and on screen. In 2021, she joined Elon during his appearance on Saturday Night Live for a Mother’s Day episode. During a scripted exchange, Maye told her son, “I love you very much.”
Elon responded, “I love you, too, Mom.” She added, “And I’m excited for my Mother’s Day gift. I just hope it’s not dogecoin,” to which he replied, “It is. Sure is. Ha ha.”