Jackie Bezos, mother of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, dies at 78 after long illness
Before Amazon became the global powerhouse it is today, Jackie and her husband Miguel made the very first investment in Jeff's risky startup. In 1995, they wrote two cheques totalling $245,573, money they fully expected might be lost. Instead, the gamble paid off beyond anything they imagined, ultimately helping them amass a multibillion-dollar fortune. Jackie and Miguel channelled much of that wealth into philanthropic efforts, particularly early childhood education, decades before Jeff or Amazon had formal charitable arms.
The Bezos Family Foundation, founded in 2000, has supported hundreds of initiatives for children and young people, including the Vroom parenting programme and the Bezos Scholars Program, which trains exceptional students from the US and Africa in leadership development. Just last year, the foundation made its largest gift yet, donating $185.7 million to the Aspen Institute to fund a centre focused on youth.
Jackie's life story was one of resilience. Born Jacklyn Marie Gise in Virginia in 1946, she became a mother at 17 and faced early challenges, including raising Jeff largely on her own until meeting Miguel Bezos, who adopted him. Known for fiercely advocating for her son's education, she went to great lengths to place him in gifted programmes and encouraged his early passion for technology.
In later years, Jackie continued her advocacy, writing opinion pieces and funding education reforms. Her death marks the loss of a woman whose belief in her son helped launch one of the most influential companies in history, while her philanthropy leaves a lasting legacy for generations to come.
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10 hours ago
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Jackie Bezos, mother of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, dies at 78 after long illness
Jackie Bezos, the mother of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and a key figure in the company's early history, has died aged 78. The Bezos Family Foundation confirmed her passing on Thursday at her home in Miami, following a long battle with Lewy body dementia. Jeff Bezos paid tribute on social media, saying she died surrounded by loved ones after a life defined by determination and generosity. Before Amazon became the global powerhouse it is today, Jackie and her husband Miguel made the very first investment in Jeff's risky startup. In 1995, they wrote two cheques totalling $245,573, money they fully expected might be lost. Instead, the gamble paid off beyond anything they imagined, ultimately helping them amass a multibillion-dollar fortune. Jackie and Miguel channelled much of that wealth into philanthropic efforts, particularly early childhood education, decades before Jeff or Amazon had formal charitable arms. The Bezos Family Foundation, founded in 2000, has supported hundreds of initiatives for children and young people, including the Vroom parenting programme and the Bezos Scholars Program, which trains exceptional students from the US and Africa in leadership development. Just last year, the foundation made its largest gift yet, donating $185.7 million to the Aspen Institute to fund a centre focused on youth. Jackie's life story was one of resilience. Born Jacklyn Marie Gise in Virginia in 1946, she became a mother at 17 and faced early challenges, including raising Jeff largely on her own until meeting Miguel Bezos, who adopted him. Known for fiercely advocating for her son's education, she went to great lengths to place him in gifted programmes and encouraged his early passion for technology. In later years, Jackie continued her advocacy, writing opinion pieces and funding education reforms. Her death marks the loss of a woman whose belief in her son helped launch one of the most influential companies in history, while her philanthropy leaves a lasting legacy for generations to come.
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