Jackie Bezos, who has died aged 78, helped to launch her son Jeff on the path to becoming a multi-billionaire by providing an initial investment of $245,000 to create the online retailer Amazon.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is mourning the loss of his mother, Jackie Bezos, who died Thursday at the age of 78 after battling a form of dementia. In an Instagram post alongside a photo of her, the 61-year-old billionaire recalled that her adult life "a little bit early" when she became a mother at 17.

Jackie Bezos and her husband invested about $245,000 in Amazon when the online bookstore was in its first year.