
19. He Nearly Died From Malaria
Malaria is a disease carried by mosquitoes and is particularly prevalent in tropical locations and Africa. The condition is so severe that in countries where it spreads most prolifically, lifespans are shorter and economies remain underdeveloped.
In 2000, Musk contracted cerebral malaria and nearly died. He spent a full six months recovering from his illness. He must have spent some of that time reflecting on his successes and failures so far because he was about to go on to what could have been the most epic failure of his entire life.