His mom didn’t nag when he was a lost 20-something playing video games in her basement. $35 million later, she’s glad she didn’t.

It began in 2010, with a quintessential request:

“Mom …”

And Mom was ready for it, no matter how weird. Susan Tenenbaum was used to her child’s outside-the-box way of existing in the high-achieving D.C.-area bubble.

“Mom, can we have the house for three days?” Mike Uyama asked. He wanted to hold a marathon gaming session with 20 friends, for charity. She decamped to a bed-and-breakfast.