Who is Miguel Bezos? A look into Jeff Bezos's relationship with adopted dad amid mom’s passing

Jacklyn "Jackie" Bezos, the mother of Amazon and Blue Origin founder, recently passed away at the age of 78. She is survived by three children, one great-grandchild, 11 grandchildren, and her husband, Miguel Bezos.

Born on January 12, 1964, Jeff Bezos is the son of Jacklyn and her first husband, Ted Jorgensen. The couple divorced after 17 months in 1965, and Ted gave up custody of Jeff.

In April 1968, Jacklyn married Miguel Bezos, who adopted Jeff when he was four years old and had two more children with Jackie.

Miguel Bezos, a Cuban immigrant, moved to the US in 1962 at the age of 16. After marrying Jackie, he graduated from the University of Albuquerque and accepted a job as an engineer at Exxon. In 1995, he and his wife became the first investors in Amazon, contributing nearly $250,000.

Miguel also co-founded the Bezos Family Fund with his wife in 2000, which invests in the “science of learning and the experiences that youth need from birth to high school to pursue their own path for success,” per the foundation's website.

Jeff has spoken on several occasions about his relationship with Miguel Bezos, saying that he considers him his “natural father.”

In a 1999 interview with Wired magazine, Jeff stated:

“The reality, as far as I’m concerned, is that my Dad is my natural father. The only time I ever think about it, genuinely, is when a doctor asks me to fill out a form.”

He also spoke about his father's "warm" personality when introducing him at the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Awards in 2022.

“He came from Santiago, Cuba. He was 16. He spoke no English, he had to make his way. He had those tough experiences. I think in every immigrant you'll find a deep optimism and a deep resilience too. My dad is an intense hard worker. My dad is warm and he teaches an easy smile.”

On May 13, 2022, Jeff Bezos also shared a tribute post honoring his father's legacy, featuring a video with photos of his dad's youth to old age, along with his speech at the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Awards. 

“My dad is an intense, hard worker, and he’s also warm and teaches an easy smile and self-deprecating humor. My brother, sister and I could not have a better role model. We love him and are so proud of him for this well-deserved recognition from @statueellisfdn,” Bezos captioned the post.

Jeff Bezos’ mother passes away at 78

Jackie Bezos' death was confirmed on Thursday, August 4, in a statement from the Bezos Family Foundation which she co-founded.

"Jackie died peacefully in her Miami home on August 14th, at the age of 78. A quiet final chapter to a life that taught all of us, friends and family alike, the true meaning of grit and determination, kindness, and service to others."

Jeff Bezos also shared a heartfelt tribute to his mother on his Instagram handle on August 14, writing:

“Her adulthood started a little bit early when she became my mom at the tender age of 17. That couldn’t have been easy, but she made it all work. She pounced on the job of loving me with ferocity, brought my amazing dad onto the team a few years later, and then added my sister and brother to her list of people to love, guard, and nourish. For the rest of her life, that list of people to love never stopped growing. She always gave so much more than she ever asked for.”

According to People Magazine, Jackie was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2020, a brain disorder that impacts a person's "thinking, movement, behavior, mood, and other body functions," per the National Institute of Aging.