Maye Musk is a Canadian-South African model and dietitian with a net worth of $20 million. Over the course of her five-decade career, she has become an international fashion icon, gracing the covers of leading magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Time, Women’s Day, and Sports Illustrated. She has also fronted global ad campaigns for brands like Target and Virgin America, breaking barriers as one of the most successful older models in the world.

Beyond her modeling achievements, Maye Musk is widely recognized as the mother of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, as well as restaurateur Kimbal Musk and filmmaker Tosca Musk. In 2017, she became CoverGirl’s oldest spokesmodel at the age of 69, proving that age is no barrier in fashion or influence.

Maye Musk was born Maye Haldeman on April 19, 1948, in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, to Winnifred and Joshua Haldeman. Her father was a chiropractor, aviator, and politician. Maye grew up with a twin sister, Kaye, and three other siblings.

In 1950, the family relocated to Pretoria, South Africa, where they spent more than a decade exploring the Kalahari Desert in search of the legendary Lost City of the Kalahari.

Her first taste of the spotlight came in 1969 when she was a finalist in the Miss South Africa beauty pageant. For her higher education, Maye studied dietetics at the University of the Orange Free State in South Africa and later completed a master’s degree in nutritional science at the University of Toronto in Canada.

Maye Musk’s modeling career spans over 50 years and is marked by historic milestones. She has appeared on covers of major magazines around the world, including Elle Canada, Vogue Italia, and Time Health. Notably, she posed nude for New York Magazine with a prosthetic pregnant belly, a bold statement that challenged conventional beauty standards.

In 2017, she made headlines when she became the oldest CoverGirl ambassador at age 69. She set another record in 2022, becoming the oldest model to ever appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue at age 74.

Her career has also included appearances in commercials for Special K cereal, fashion campaigns in China, and even a cameo in Beyoncé’s 2013 music video Haunted. Today, Maye Musk is regarded as a global fashion symbol who continues to inspire women across generations.

In addition to modeling, Musk has built a successful career as a dietitian and public speaker. She runs her own nutrition business, delivering lectures around the world on health, aging, and wellness.

She is also a published author:

In recognition of her lifelong dedication to health and wellness, Maye received an honorary doctorate in dietetics from the University of the Free State in South Africa in 2023.

Maye Musk married Errol Musk in 1970, a South African engineer and businessman she had known since high school. The couple had three children: Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1979.

Afterward, Elon lived with his father, while Kimbal joined him a few years later. Tosca remained with Maye until 1989, when Elon moved to Canada. Shortly afterward, Maye followed with Tosca and began rebuilding her life and career in North America.

Today, Maye Musk divides her time between her professional work and supporting her children’s ventures.

With a net worth of $20 million, Maye Musk has built an impressive legacy independent of her children’s global success. She is celebrated not only as a model who redefined beauty standards but also as an accomplished nutrition expert, author, and motivational speaker.