MIAMI, FLORIDA: In the trajectory of Jeff Bezos' extraordinary life, there exists a figure who played a significant role in shaping the Amazon founder's early dreams and aspirations, and that's none other than his high school sweetheart, Ursula Werner.
She recently shared a captivating glimpse into the teenage years of the man who would later become one of the wealthiest individuals on the planet worth $137 billion.
When did Jeff Bezos and Ursula Werner start dating?
Long before Amazon and Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos was already reaching for the stars in his teenage years. Ursula Werner, who dated Bezos from 1981 to 1984, during their time at Palmetto High School in Miami, reveals that her first love was a space fanatic with a vision that surpassed the ordinary.
"He was very gregarious," recalled Werner, adding, "We spent so much time together, listening to music and making plans for the future. I was thinking about cozy cottages on the beach; he was thinking about huge homes with huge entertainment centers."
Werner vividly recalls Bezos' love for 'Star Trek' and his early belief in mankind living on a space station someday.
She added, "I don't know where he got his fascination with space, but it was there from the time I knew him," hinting at the roots of Bezos' future endeavors in space exploration.
Ursula Werner's take on former flame Jeff Bezos
Ursula Werner, who has kept in touch with Jeff Bezos over the years, described him as a "wicked, smart" man and a romantic who has a unique way of expressing his affection. On one memorable birthday, the Amazon founder presented her with over 100 flyers detailing her assets and liabilities.
While the assets were filled with adjectives "only someone blindly in love would have included," the liabilities section remained empty. "Mortified doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt as I ran around campus trying to tear them all down," said Werner, as per The US Sun.
Further, the writer shared instances of a magical mystery tour around Miami designed as a treasure hunt and a futuristic holodeck dream inspired by 'Star Trek'. "At one point in order to get the next clue, I had to go to a bank teller and ask for a million dollars. He is very creative," recalled Werner.
Despite their creative collaborations, such as founding the Dream Institute, a summer school for kids, she admitted that their love of learning brought them closer, even if the venture turned into a "farce."
"He was very smart and very articulate. I was significantly more literary-minded than he is, but he definitely gave me good run for my money," noted Werner.
Despite the billions, global attention, and fame, she wonders if the Bezos has changed. As she reflected on their enduring friendship, she admitted to initial concerns that fame and fortune might have altered the core of the person she fell in love with all those years ago.
Werner mentioned, "I was worried that some part of the Jeff Bezos that I knew had sort of disappeared or had changed because of all the fame and fortune."
What does Ursula Werner do now?
Ursula Werner, a resident of Washington, DC, is currently engaged in a dual role as a writer and attorney, seamlessly combining her legal expertise with a passion for creative expression. A native of Germany with a South Florida upbringing, Werner practices law at The Potomac Law Group.
Prior to this, she served as an Attorney Advisor at the Office of Legal Counsel within the US Department of Justice. Her legal journey has been enriched by her educational background, including a JD from Yale Law School, where she notably contributed as an editor for The Yale Journal of Law and Feminism.
Her literary accomplishments extend to the publication of two poetry collections, 'In the Silence of the Woodruff' (2006) and 'Rapunzel Revisited' (2010), showcasing her poetic sensitivity, as per her website.
Furthermore, she has authored a novel titled 'The Good at Heart' (2017), offering a narrative that reflects her storytelling finesse. On the horizon, Werner's creative journey continues with her second novel, 'Magda', anticipated to be released in Spring 2025.
