Jeff Bezos' Biological Dad Didn't Know He Was A Billionaire Until Someone Said: 'Your Son Is One Of The Most Successful Men On The Planet'

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and one of the richest men in the world, didn't start with privilege or advantage. The man who built "The Everything Store" from his garage in 1994 was born in 1964 to Jacklyn Gise, a 17-year-old mother and her teenage husband, Ted Jorgensen. 

Their marriage was short-lived and Jorgensen disappeared from the picture when Bezos was still in diapers. Later, Jacklyn married Miguel Bezos, a Cuban immigrant who adopted Jeff and became the father figure he has always credited with shaping his life.

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While Bezos' rise to fame and fortune is one of innovation and relentless ambition, his story also includes a surprising chapter: his biological father, Ted Jorgensen, didn't even know his son had become a global icon until nearly five decades later. 

By the time journalist Brad Stone, the author of "The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and Amazon," tracked him down in 2012, Bezos was a billionaire running one of the most influential companies in the world. Jorgensen, meanwhile, was living a quiet life in Arizona, running a small bike shop, completely unaware of his son's success.

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When Stone told Jorgensen the truth, saying, "Your son is one of the most successful men on the planet," the 69-year-old was stunned. He hadn't even recognized Bezos' name at first. But when Stone showed him photos of his son, Jorgensen's face flushed with disbelief and sadness. "I wasn't a good father or a good husband," he admitted, clearly burdened by regret, as a 2013 USA Today article reported.

Jorgensen's story is a dramatic contrast to Bezos' trajectory. After divorcing Jorgensen, Jacklyn fought to make a better life for her son despite financial hardship. She worked as a secretary and attended night classes while bringing up baby Jeff.

His mother's determination and Miguel Bezos' support helped set the stage for Bezos' incredibly impressive journey. In 1995, Jacklyn and Miguel took a huge leap of faith, investing nearly $250,000 into Amazon despite being told there was a 70% chance they'd lose it all.

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For Bezos, Miguel is the only father he acknowledges. In a 1999 interview with Wired, reported by Business Insider, Bezos said, "The reality, as far as I'm concerned, is that my Dad is my natural father. The only time I ever think about [my biological father] is when a doctor asks me to fill out a form." 

Jorgensen, on the other hand, spent his later years grappling with regret and hoping for a chance to reconnect with his son. According to Page Six, he insisted: "I just want to see him as my son, just to have him acknowledge that I'm his father and he's my son." He reportedly didn't want anything from Bezos and didn't want to replace "the other dad" but only wanted to "see him."

That meeting never happened. Jorgensen died in 2015. 

In 2019, Page Six shared a quote from a family source who said, "Ted was just a teenager when Jeff was born, he was good and bad, just like anybody else." They also added, "But the sad part is that he never met Jeff after he found out he was his biological father. He went to his grave never having spoken to him. He would never talk about it, but I know it was hard for him."

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