The 1990s should have been her “retirement” era—most models are done by 30. Maye was 50. And she was still booking print ads for Revlon and CoverGirl. How? Because she refused to dye her gray hair. In the 90s, gray hair on a model was like a unicorn ordering a latte. But executives loved her natural look. She became the go-to “elegant mom” for catalogs. She even landed a role on a TV show—yes, acting—while still dietitian-ing on the side. Some people can’t even fold laundry without a nap.
But the best plot twist? In 1999, her son Elon sold Zip2 for $307 million. Did she quit her day job? Nope. She told reporters, “I don’t need his money. I have my own career.” You have to love the sass. She was 51, still modeling, still seeing nutrition clients, and now—technically—a millionaire’s mom. But she acted like that was the least interesting thing about her.
