Back in 2019, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos got a divorce from Mackenzie Scott. They had been married for 25 years. They did not explain why they decided to get a divorce, but they emphasized that they planned to remain friends.
One good reason for the former couple to remain on good terms is for the sake of their children. They have a total of 4 children. They have three biological sons and one daughter who they adopted from China.
Scott is now remarried, and she met her new husband thanks to her children. Her new husband, Dan Jewett, taught science for decades. Most recently, he was a chemistry teacher at the private school Scott’s children attended, Lakeside School.
Since getting divorced, Scott has become one of the richest women in the world. She has also committed to giving away most of her billions, and has stayed true to her word. Back in 2019, she wrote a letter on The Giving Pledge sharing her desire to give away the majority of her riches.
“We each come by the gifts we have to offer by an infinite series of influences and lucky breaks we can never fully understand. In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share. My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won’t wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty.”
Now that Jewett has married Scott, he has committed to joining her on her mission to give away the majority of their wealth, and he wrote his own letter on The Giving Pledge. He started by explaining how “strange” it was to be planning to give away wealth since, as a teacher, he never thought he would have monetary wealth to give away.
“It is strange to be writing a letter indicating I plan to give away the majority of my wealth during my lifetime, as I have never sought to gather the kind of wealth required to feel like saying such a thing would have particular meaning. I have been a teacher for the majority of my life, as well as a grateful student of the generosity of those around me. This has meant doing my best to follow their example by passing on resources of all kinds—from time, to energy, to material possessions—when I have had them to give. And now, in a stroke of happy coincidence, I am married to one of the most generous and kind people I know—and joining her in a commitment to pass on an enormous financial wealth to serve others.”
Watch the video below to learn more about Scott’s generosity, her new husband and what her ex-husband has to say about his ex-wife remarrying.
If you had billions of dollars, would you commit to giving most of it away? What charities do you think Scott should donate to? Does it surprise you that she married a science teacher?