THE WAY I AM - ‘I'VE LED A LIFE full of adventure'

Dietician, model, and author Maye Musk talks to Marike Watson about growing up in SA, raising successful children, staying positive when times are tough, and what it’s like to grace the covers of magazines at 72

- Marike Watson

Maye Musk has travelled the world giving lectures on wellness and antiageing practices. She started modelling at 15, and was recently featured on the covers of iconic glossies like Harper’s Bazaar Brasil and Vogue Korea. Her eldest son, Elon, founded SpaceX and co-founded technology company Tesla; while her second son, Kimbal, is a philanthropist and restaurateur. Her daughter, Tosca, is a film-maker. In her new memoir, Maye shares insights on raising successful kids while leading a full life of her own. She lives in Los Angeles with her rescue pup, DelRey.

What is your earliest childhood memory? I was born in Canada, but grew up in Pretoria and, at the age of four, started walking to nursery school with my twin sister Kaye. We’d walk with our older sister to her school first, and then continue on by ourselves – can you believe it? Our parents were avid explorers, and for many years we’d drive across the Kalahari Desert every winter in search of the fabled Lost City of the Kalahari. Our family motto was “Live dangerously – carefully”.