Cindy Crawford Reflects on Earning More Than Her Parents at 18
Cindy Crawford recently opened up about the rapid changes in her life and family dynamics at the start of her modeling career. In an interview with Christy Turlington Burns and Kelly Corrigan for the podcast series “Kelly Corrigan Wonders: About Your Mother,” Crawford reflected on her early days as a model in Chicago, where she quickly became a prominent figure.
“I was making more money than my parents and more money than they could’ve ever even dreamed of,” Crawford revealed, describing how she became “the big fish pretty quickly” in a small pond. This remarkable financial success came when she was just 18 years old.
Within a year of starting her career, Crawford was living independently in her own apartment and working daily with a renowned photographer. Despite her early success, the allure of New York City soon started to draw her in. “I definitely was afraid to leave,” Crawford admitted, explaining her initial hesitation to move to the bustling city. However, her mother’s reassuring words—”What’s the worst thing that can happen? You just come back.”—gave her the confidence to take the leap.
When asked by Corrigan if earning more than her parents at such a young age created any tension or awkwardness, Crawford shared a poignant reflection. She mentioned feeling as though she had taken on a different role within her family, especially after the tragic loss of her brother, Jeff, who died of leukemia at the age of three. Crawford said she felt she became “the son in a weird way” to her father, highlighting the complex emotional landscape she navigated during those early years of her career.
Crawford’s reflections provide a unique glimpse into the early challenges and triumphs of her modeling journey, as well as the familial support that helped shape her path to success.