Justine Musk, Elon Musk’s first wife and the mother of his five children, shared her reflections on their life together during a talk at the TEDxUIUC conference titled “Visionaries are People Who Can See in the Dark.” In her engaging narrative, she recounted their journey from their early college days to the complexities of their relationship.

Justine met Elon when she was eighteen, while he was nineteen. She noted his tenacity even back then, recalling, “Every time he called to ask me out, I would decline. This continued until we eventually moved in together.” The couple’s early life was spent in a modest apartment with three roommates and a dachshund that, as she humorously pointed out, “was not house trained.” Even after their success and move to a luxurious Bel Air home, she quipped, “The dachshund still was not house trained,” illustrating that some aspects of life remained unchanged despite their ascent.

Reflecting on Elon’s character, Justine mentioned how he would identify himself as an “engineer” on forms instead of “CEO.” She described his wardrobe as predominantly T-shirts and jeans, with him insisting, “I can’t look cool or hip because I have to look like an engineer,” even when stylists suggested changes.

One of the more striking moments she recounted was Elon’s statement about being “prepared to sacrifice everything” for his dream of launching a rocket, even if it meant the family might end up in her parents’ basement. With her trademark wit, she remarked, “I wanted to go back in time and tell him, ‘Have you seen my parents’ basement?’”

Justine also reflected on how Elon was portrayed in *The Simpsons*, noting a line that resonated with her: “Someone like Elon must have a darkness in his soul.” She elaborated, saying, “Darkness doesn’t mean evil… it can mean anything that hasn’t yet been brought to the light.” As a dark fantasy author, she emphasized this perspective on Elon’s motivations, suggesting that he was driven by ideas that most people may never fully understand.

Through her anecdotes, Justine Musk provided a humorous and insightful glimpse into life with a visionary whose ambitions reach far beyond the ordinary. She concluded by stating that “visionaries take their passion and put themselves on the line unlike anybody else,” highlighting that Elon was indeed no different in this regard.