'He has been bankrupt for 25 years': Elon Musk opens up about his father and an unhappy childhood

Billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter, SpaceX, and Tesla, has opened up about his past yet again to shut down the critics who claimed that his father owned an emerald mine in South Africa. Musk wrote in a tweet that there is no evidence that this so-called “emerald mine” ever existed. He further explained that his father told him that he owned a share in a mine in Zambia and he believed him for a while. However, Musk clarifies that he had never seen this mine ever or seen any records proving its existence. 

Elon Musk childhood

The Twitter CEO got emotional and brought up more memories about his past announcing that he did not have a happy childhood. He added that he did not receive any inheritance or large financial gifts from anyone. He added that his father did not support him financially after high school in any meaningful way.   

In a tweet, Musk wrote, “I grew up in a lower, transitioning to upper, middle income situation, but did not have a happy childhood. Haven’t inherited anything ever from anyone, nor has anyone given me a large financial gift.”

He added that his father had to rely on him and his brother for financial needs. Musk said, "My father created a small electrical/mechanical engineering company that was successful for 20 to 30 years, but it fell on hard times. He has been essentially bankrupt for about 25 years, requiring financial support from my brother and me."

I grew up in a lower, transitioning to upper, middle income situation, but did not have a happy childhood. Haven’t inherited anything ever from anyone, nor has anyone given me a large financial gift.

My father created a small electrical/mechanical engineering company that was…

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 6, 2023

However, Musk said that his father was the one to teach him the fundamentals of physics, engineering and construction. For him, that is “more valuable than money”.  

In a reply to tweet, Musk wrote, “I’d just like to see a picture of this mine. Like, where is it exactly!?”

Elon Musk’s mother Maye Musk also joined the conversation asking that if such a mine existed, then why did she and Elon Musk had to sleep on the floor in a one-bedroom apartment during his childhood?

Me too! And why did we sleep in one-bedroom apartments and on the floor? https://t.co/la9MXBTHXF

— Maye Musk (@mayemusk) May 7, 2023

Back in January, Elon Musk had tweeted that he is ready to pay one million Dogecoin for proof of the said mine's existence.

I will pay a million Dogecoin for proof of this mine’s existence!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 12, 2023

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