As the mother of the richest man in the world, Maye Musk’s popularity is nowhere near that of the stardom of her son, Elon Musk. However, it’s not just because of Elon that Maye has a recognizable name. Contrary to what some may believe, she is an idol in her own right because she is an established dietitian and model with a long track record behind her.
Maye Musk Net Worth
For the past 50 years, Maye has worked as a model and a registered dietitian. She has been highlighted in publications such as Women’s Day, Vogue, and Time. She also starred in various promotional campaigns. Maye was a finalist in the beauty pageant, Miss South Africa, in 1969. As of 2022, Maye Musk has an estimated net worth of $20 million.
Early Life
Before she was a Musk, her name was Maye Haldeman. She was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, on April 19, 1948. She had a twin sibling and was one of five children.
In 1952, her mother, Winnifred Josephine “Wyn” (Fletcher), and her father, Dr. Joshua Norman Haldeman, took their family on a prop plane across the world.
They spent over ten years wandering the Kalahari desert in pursuit of the legendary Lost City of the Kalahari. Slide exhibitions and discussions about their trips were given by their parents.
Modeling Career
Maye joined the 1969 Miss South Africa beauty contest and ended up being a finalist. She would later continue her modeling endeavors in Canada and the U.S.
She’s been on cereal boxes from Special K, in a video with Beyoncé, commercials with Revlon, Virgin America, and Target. In 2011, she posed nude for Time magazine, as well as with a fake pregnant stomach for New York magazine. Maye was featured on Elle Canada in 2012.
Sadly, her modeling career on the runway fell apart at the age of 18, only to resurface at the age of 60. At 69, she became CoverGirl’s oldest spokesperson in September 2017.
Marriage
When she was 22, Maye married Errol Musk, a South African engineer she met in high school. Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca were the three children they had together.
In 1979, they broke up. Errol was violent both mentally and physically. Because he abused her and pushed her to lose connections with her family, Maye filed for divorce.
By 1989, Maye had taken the children to Canada. However, juggling motherhood and work proved difficult. As a result, she gave the children complete autonomy over their life.
Current Status
Today, Maye Musk continues to be a model at 73. She was signed by Creative Artists Agency in 2021. A Woman Makes a Plan: Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty, and Success is a memoir she wrote in 2019.
Using the dietetics master’s degree she earned in South Africa’s University of the Orange Free state as well as the master’s degree in nutritional science from the University of Toronto, she’s running a business as a dietitian.
Her children are also doing well on their own. Tosca is a filmmaker, Kimbal is a chef and entrepreneur, and Elon is leading humanity to a race for Mars with SpaceX and other companies he owns.
