Here’s some happy news for your Tuesday afternoon. MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezo, has found her second chance at happiness. It was announced last Saturday that MacKenzie married Dan Jewett, a science teacher at the private school her four kids attend in Seattle. What’s even nicer is that Dan made the official announcement on MacKenzie’s page on The Giving Pledge, the site created by Warren Buffet on which the world’s wealthiest people pledge their fortunes to benefit others.
MacKenzie Scott, philanthropist, author and former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has married a Seattle science teacher. Dan Jewett made the announcement in a letter to the website of the nonprofit organization the Giving Pledge on Saturday.
Jewett said he never imagined he would be in a position to talk about giving away significant wealth during his lifetime in order to make a difference in other people’s lives. He expressed gratitude “for the exceptional privilege it will be to partner in giving away assets with the potential to do so much good when shared.”
Jewett has been a teacher for decades and most recently taught chemistry at the private Lakeside School, where Scott’s children attended.
“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,” Jewett wrote.
Well Dan sounds like a stand-up guy. There are no details about the courtship, like how long they’ve known each other or dated. We don’t know if Dan actually taught MacKenzie’s kids or if he just taught at the school they attended. One would think he wasn’t actually their teacher because what teenager is going to tolerate their mom dating their Chemistry teacher? “Ew, Mom – Mr. Jewett? No! Wait… can I get out of the final?” You can read the full announcement here. It’s quite lovely. In addition to the part about always wanting to give away his income but never thinking he had anything significant to give, Dan discussed how much value people have brought to his life by educating him and showing him tolerance. He said this was what drew him to MacKenzie and that she has, “seen her efforts enhanced when she acts on the belief that those with common values but different perspectives, strengths, and experiences are essential to effecting positive change.” It’s not your usual wedding announcement filled with billowy affirmations of love and blind devotion. I love it. Plus, announcing your marriage to a billionaire and your intent to give away that fortune in the same letter sends a solid message about marrying with the right intentions. MacKenzie has proven who she is, I have no doubt she married her equal.
Ol’ Jeffy chimed in as well with a statement in The Wall Street Journal. It’s behind a paywall so I can’t use it here. However, Jeff is all smiles and thumbs up for the happy couple, going on the record to say, “Dan is such a great guy, and I am happy and excited for the both of them.” This is nice. Obviously, the end of the Bezo marriage wasn’t as clean as it could have been but Jeff and MacKenzie were never cruel to each other in the press and my guess is they’ve made their peace. It sounds like MacKenzie is getting on with her life and she’s living it the best she can so good for her. Congratulations to the happy couple.
Photos credit: Getty, Mackenzie Scott and via Instagram
Good for them. i also feel like what is the point of prenups,they are always contested and never hold up in most cases.
They may still have a prenup. I’d be surprised if they didn’t.
I believe they didn’t have a prenup because she was with him from the very beginning. She’s just a decent person.
I believe they didn’t have a prenup because she was with him from the very beginning. She’s just a decent person.
Lauren Sanchez’s ex is engaged too. How do these people move on so quickly??
They’re finding love and living well, and it’s the best revenge.
…or rushing into another relationship after divorce. Second marriages have a very high failure rate.
I think very rich people need to attend functions, shmooze, and fit in with a very specific crowd. “Wife” is a position that needs to be filled. Plus, the very rich have the ability to dazzle someone very easily, so it’s not like the other party needs much convincing.
It’s been two years. Should the ex’s go in to some kind of extended mourning period? Look how happy Mackenzie looks in that picture. Two weeks, two years, two decades. Who cares how long it took someone to move on. Learning to live and love again after betrayal doesn’t have a timeline.
I think it’s fast, too. I divorced after a 10 year marriage (13 year relationship) and I was not fit for another relationship for some time. I mean, I had relationships but I was dragging around my baggage and my broken heart. Maybe others recover more quickly.
After my last 6 year relationship I took a year off to myself and met an awesome dude. He met me his second date out there after a 20 year marriage. We have had moments about the past, but we are super strong 18 months later. We are both hovering around 50 though, I guess you know what you want and more importantly don’t want at this age.
I love that she married the Chem teacher and not some dumb celebrity.
Believe Bezos owns the Washington Post, and WSJ is Murdoch
ETA: ah, see it’s already been changed
Wow! Go, MacKenzie! Love her.
He seems like a standup guy.
Hope it works out for them.
So happy for her. She’s leading a normal life as opposed to the former husband who seems to actuvely seek out celebriry culture.
I have always felt that Meghan should team up with McKenzie for philanthropic work. I just think there might be some common ground there. Two decent women wanting to make a difference.
There is so much need and pain in the world that I have zero time for anyone bashing someone (like they do Meg) that is doing something, any little thing to make someone feel better. Looking forward to hearing about the initiatives that McKenzie and her new hubs will support with their funding!
Awesome news
Oh I’m happy for her! It’s so nice that she’s dedicated to philanthropy. Although the possibility of a mom dating a teacher at her kid’s school reminds me of The Princess Diaries, haha.
Good for her. Best of luck to the both of them
I like this woman, and the fact she seems “normal” it’s so refreshing to me.
I would never chose to marry again, but congratulations to them. She is amazing, and I wish her a happy life.
What a lovely story! Congratulations and much joy and success to the happy couple. 😊
Man, she really is shining after her divorce! Good for her. She seems so likeable and super generous, unlike her husband.
And yeah, it always takes me slightly aback when people move on fast after divorces (and to a greater extent, deaths).
OMG yes! I work in estate planning and probate and I am stunned by the quick turn-around some of these men make. I had a client whose next wife moved in before the dead wife’s clothes were out of the drawer – like 2 weeks after the funeral.
This is such happy news. I’m so glad for Mackenzie. Bright days ahead!
Oh no, move on! I don’t have too many regrets but my main one is not moving on fast enough after my divorce. Oh you don’t get those years back. Move on!
I have so much respect and admiration for Mackenzie. It’s wonderful to hear she’s happy and in love. I did struggle with my knee-jerk reaction to the announcement and her husband’s comments. My first thought was unease, thinking why is he so quickly referring to her money as their money? Is that a red flag?
I’m in my very very late 40s and at this point in my life, I’d never want any potential spouse of mine to think my money was their money. Nor would I think their’s is mine. That needs to be completely separate for me. I’m weird about money and knowing that no matter what I’ll be able to take care of myself.
But, after re-reading the statement and considering the amount of wealth involved and her commitment to philanthropy, I can now see that he’s grateful to be able to join her in making a real difference in the world. It’s lovely.
In Washington state, you marry and everything that is yours is theirs and everything that is theirs is yours. My husband owns my debt, music collection, and books from before our marriage, and I own his car from before our marriage. WA is a community property law state. So that is likely why he made this statement, or she may have asked him to. All that said, I am not a lawyer but this is how I understand it from when we got married. Totally understand that reaction—this may just give it some context.
@ Zantasia – Not quite right, any property owned or acquired prior to marriage remain separate. Community property is only what is bought or acquired during the marriage. Her money from her divorce settlement remains hers, but any income earned since they got married now belongs to both of them.
IIRC, When Mackenzie and Jeff’s split was announced, they both stated that they had been separated for a while. I remember people thought that they were lying to cover up his affair, but perhaps it is true given how quickly all parties moved on.
Mackenzie seems like a class act. I’m very happy for her and her new husband.
I really wish Mackenzie gets her props as more than being Jeff’s ex wife.
Technically she was one of the initial investors (along with Jeff’s parents) and the primary breadwinner while Jeff was getting Amazon off the ground.
It’s almost like this divorce is a blessing because if that affair didn’t happen, it would not surprise me if they divorced because of the news coming out about union busting and other practices and she more than likely would not have that.
She just didn’t show up at the right time. She put in the work.
ME TOO! I wish they would refer tl her as CO-FOUNDER of Amazon, not “wife of that asshole Bezos.”
I REALLY hate that her name is still linked with his in every article, like she’s not a whole person in her own right or we are are too shallow to read about her accomplishments without mentioning him. She’s a smart, savvy, generous, accomplished person all on her own.
Happy for her.
A recently divorced billionaire meeting me at my job and falling in love sounds like a great daydream to have today!
She seems like a legit class-act of a lady. Love how they announced it
Good for her. She’s doing a lot of good, she deserves some happily ever after as well.
Good for her! Hope they have a long and happy marriage.
I really love what she has done with her donations so far, and I think we are going to see years and years of targeted, effective giving from her.
I feel like all the vibes we get from the Bezos divorce is that she probably knew it was brewing for a while. I wonder if she’d already been planning to leave before the scandal broke? Or if they’d been living separate lies?
Or maybe she’s just a classy woman who decided not to throw her ex under the bus. Either’s possible.
I have so much admiration for her and her philanthropy. She’s given away billions without conditions, didn’t ask for libraries or buildings to be named after her. Just pure class. I wish her all the best!
All I have to say is -Good for her ! And she doesn‘t seem to care for hair on a dude.
@ theotherViv – It saves her all that work cleaning out the shower drain, lol!
Good for her. I hope the guy is 25 years old! 🙂
He looks a tad older than that in the pic, but I hope he’s her best friend and true partner.
Nah. He needs to be 25, have lots of hair and a really tight butt! Ha ha Second husbands should be eye candy.
Young guys do nothing for me, but it’s certainly possible this guy is rockin’ assets we don’t see in the picture.
I was being sarcastic. That is what a man would do, particularly a rich man — go younger the second time around. She should obviously marry whoever makes her happy.
I kinda figured. I almost replied eh, we’re not dudes. We can appreciate so much more than a firm butt! But I also didn’t want to malign firm butts. 🤣🤣
This lady is living her best life. You go girl.
Mackenzie & Jeff have been divorced for almost 2 years (and according to them they had been separated for a while prior to the divorce) — so I don’t know how people see her of moving on too quickly? *confused*