Contrary to popular belief, Elon Musk is not technically the ‘father’ or founder of Tesla. That distinction goes to Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. The tech mogul made a large investment in the company and is the CEO, hence the reason for the misconception. However, the 52-year-old is an actual father who recently welcomed his 12th child into the world.
Elon Musk’s 12th Child
Elon Musk has fathered numerous children, ensuring they stay out of the spotlight when possible. As such, many were stunned to learn that he quietly welcomed his 12th child earlier this year. However, the child’s gender and name remain unknown to the public.
Image Credit: Shivon | Twitter
Elon Musk Keeps Children Out of the Public
Despite his reputation for keeping his personal life private, Elon Musk has denied any intentional secrecy. “As for ‘secretly fathered,’ that is also false,” Elon Musk commented. “All our friends and family know. Failure to issue a press release, which would be bizarre, does not mean ‘secret.’”
Image Credit: @elonmusk | Twitter
Elon Musk and Neuralink Employee
The child’s mother is Shivon Zilis, the director of special projects at Neuralink Corp. Although Musk isn’t the founder of Tesla, he did launch Neuralink Corp. on June 21, 2016. The neurotechnology company is developing “implantable brain-computer interfaces” and implanted the first “neural chip” earlier this year. Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful, and the company still has some things to work through.
Image Credit: @mayemusk | Twitter
Elon Musk’s Journey into Fatherhood
In the meantime, Musk enjoys a quiet life outside of the public eye with his children. His journey to fatherhood began in 2002. Sadly, his first son, Nevada Alexander, passed away from SIDS at ten weeks old. Although he and his now ex-wife Justine Wilson suffered a significant loss, they welcomed twins two years later and later fathered children with Canadian musician Claire Elise Boucher, better known by her stage name, GRIMES.
Making Headlines Again
In 2021, Elon Musk and Shivon Zilis had twins Azure and Strider. Meanwhile, several of his children have been the product of IVF and surrogacy. Interestingly, he’s made numerous headlines for his bizarre obsession with letters instead of names, his overwhelming desire to seemingly play with money, and more recently, taking on an “advisor” role for Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the public speculated whether or not he’s competing with Nick Cannon for Fathering the Most Children.
“Elon and Nick Cannon competing?” Jokingly questioned one internet user.
“Nick, you got 24 hours to respond!” Another commented.
An Early Bio
Moreover, a 2015 biography written by Ashlee Vance uncovers the complex childhood and early years of Elon Musk. He was born in South Africa in 1971, and his parents divorced when he was eight. Musk is described as a “nerdy type” who spent most of his time reading. Sadly, he gained a reputation as a ‘know-it-all’ and struggled to fit in among his peers.
Difficulties in Childhood
After his parents divorced, Elon Musk opted to live with his father Errol, despite spending the first few years with his mother and siblings at their “holiday home on the east coast of South Africa.” While Vance highlights Musk’s hesitancy to discuss his father, he notes that Errol was “difficult to be around” and “inflicted psychological torture.”
Studies and Success
Elon Musk was destined for big things, discovering a fascination with computers at age 10. He’s self-taught in programming and sold his first product: a video game called “Blastar.” Tired of being bullied, Musk took up karate and wrestling when he was 15.
At 17, Elon Musk attended Queen’s University in Canada for two years before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania. There, he earned two bachelor’s degrees: one in physics from the College of Arts and Sciences and another in economics from the Wharton School. His diverse education laid the groundwork for his innovative ventures in technology and space exploration. In 1995, Musk briefly enrolled in a PhD program at Stanford University but left after just two days to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities in the tech industry. This bold decision ultimately led to his success with companies like Zip2, PayPal, Tesla, and SpaceX.
Sources
- “Elon Musk.” Biography
- “Neuralink Blog.” Neuralink
- “Tesla founders Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning talk about the early days and bringing on Elon Musk.” CNBC. Lora Kolodny. February 6, 2021.
- “Elon Musk: Early Life.” Short Form. Melissa Stevens. April 3, 2022.
- “Elon Musk Welcomed Baby No. 12 and People Keep Commenting the Same Thing.” Brightside. Marian V.
