Heartbreak for Jeff Bezos as his mother Jackie dies aged 78 following dementia battle just weeks after Venice wedding
The Bezos Family Foundation announced the news Thursday, revealing she passed away peacefully at her Miami home on August 14.
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While no cause of death was given, the Foundation said she was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia in 2020.
In an emotional post, Jeff reflected on how his mom's life as an adult began early, becoming a mother at just 17.
He said she 'pounced on the job of loving me with ferocity,' later bringing his stepfather Mike into the family and expanding her love to his siblings Christina and Mark.
Bezos said her 'list of people to love never stopped growing' and that she 'always gave so much more than she ever asked for.'
He shared that after a long battle with Lewy Body Dementia, Jackie died surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and Mike.
'I know she felt our love in those final moments. We were all so lucky to be in her life,' he wrote, adding: 'I hold her safe in my heart forever… I love you, mom.'
In a heartfelt tribute, the Foundation described Jackie as 'the true meaning of grit and determination, kindness and service to others' — values she passed on to her children and grandchildren.
It praised her husband, Mike Bezos, for staying by her side 'at every step' of her illness and thanked the healthcare team who cared for her.
Born December 29, 1946, in Washington, D.C., Jackie had Jeff at 17 with her first husband, Ted Jorgensen, before the couple split when Jeff was a toddler.
She later married Cuban immigrant Miguel 'Mike' Bezos in 1968 — a lifelong partnership that lasted nearly six decades.
In 1995, the couple famously invested just under $250,000 into Jeff's then-new venture, Amazon.
A devoted mother to Jeff, Christina, and Mark, Jackie juggled work, night school, and family life — making countless trips to Radio Shack for Jeff, supervising cheerleading practice for Christina, and hauling drums in the family station wagon for Mark.
She later earned her psychology degree at 45, proving, as the Foundation put it, 'it's never too late to follow your dreams.'
In 2000, she and Mike founded the Bezos Family Foundation, spearheading initiatives such as Vroom, which supports early childhood development, and the Bezos Scholars Program for students in the US and Africa.
She also played a major role in funding groundbreaking cancer research at Seattle's Fred Hutch Cancer Center.
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