Jeff Bezos's parents risked life savings on Amazon startup
Miguel and Jackie Bezos put $245,573 of their savings into Amazon, despite a 70% chance of total loss.
Miguel Bezos arrived in Miami at 16 with almost nothing: a jacket made by his mom and sister, three shirts, three pairs of pants, and one pair of shoes. His parents sent him to America after the revolution, seeing no future under the Castro regime.
Over decades, he built a life, working at Exxon for 32 years while raising a family. The couple believed in their son's risky idea.
They invested $245,573, a large fraction of their life savings, into Amazon's early days. Jeff warned them plainly: there was a 70% chance they would lose it all.
They invested anyway. Today, Amazon is worth roughly $2.68 trillion.
The Bezoses' bet became one of history's most lucrative early investments. The family still keeps the jacket Miguel brought from Cuba.
- $245,573
- Investment amount
- July 21, 1962
- Arrival date
- 70 percent
- Risk of total loss
- $2.68 trillion
- Amazon value today
Why it mattersA parent's willingness to risk everything on their child's wild idea shaped one of the world's largest companies and one of the largest fortunes ever built.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect, but Australians who use Amazon or follow tech know the story started with one immigrant family's leap of faith.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
