Elon Musk’s firstborn child, Nevada Alexander Musk, tragically passed away 23 years ago in 2002 at just 10 weeks old. Nevada was born to Musk and his first wife, Justine Wilson, marking the couple’s first step into parenthood. However, their joy was short-lived when their infant son suddenly stopped breathing while taking a nap.

Despite efforts from paramedics to revive him, Nevada had been without oxygen for too long, leading to severe brain damage. After spending three days on life support, Musk and Wilson were faced with an unimaginable decision—they chose to remove him from the ventilator. Justine later recalled holding Nevada in her arms as he passed away.

The cause of death was identified as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), a condition in which an otherwise healthy baby unexpectedly dies, often during sleep, without a clear medical explanation.

Musk rarely speaks about the loss publicly, but Justine has shared that the tragedy deeply affected both of them. Instead of openly grieving, she said Musk preferred to keep his emotions private and move forward. The devastating loss eventually led the couple to conceive again through in vitro fertilization (IVF), resulting in the birth of their twins and later triplets.

Nevada’s passing remains a deeply personal and painful chapter in Musk’s life, one that shaped his journey as a father in the years that followed.