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Life

A closer look at Eli's life, in his family's words.

  1. Family heritage

    Morton's Steakhouse

    Eli's family lineage includes the founding of Morton's Steakhouse, a national restaurant chain his family later sold.

  2. 2001

    Born in Las Vegas

    Elijah Zane Morton was born on April 1, 2001, in his hometown of Las Vegas.

  3. Childhood

    A bright, creative leader

    From birth, Eli saw possibility everywhere — constantly studying, creating, and dreaming up the next wild idea. A self-propelled baby stroller, a bubble machine for kids' parties, a generator built from old motorcycle parts: other people's refuse was his brainchild.

  4. School years

    Alexander Dawson School and Bishop Gorman

    Eli attended the Alexander Dawson School and Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas.

  5. University of Colorado, Boulder

    Boulder, then business

    He went on to the University of Colorado, Boulder, before leaving to pursue business opportunities.

  6. Family

    Older brother, Pied Piper to his cousins

    He was the most fun older brother to Pierre and Petra, and the Pied Piper to his many cousins, who saw him as a role model growing up.

  7. Building a business

    Total Property Services

    Eli built a successful company, Total Property Services, from the ground up — perfecting his gift for entrepreneurship by emulating his father, and building relationships one dozen doughnuts at a time.

  8. 2023

    Battle Born Acquisitions

    In 2023, Eli founded Battle Born Acquisitions, a distressed-property and foreclosure acquisitions and holding company. The business bought homes at auction and in pre-foreclosure, then litigated, improved, and rented or sold them.

  9. On the whiteboard

    Percolating start-ups

    His whiteboard was filled with strategic plans for several other start-ups he was dreaming up, including an idea for banking for the unbanked in Libya, inspired by his mother's work in Jordan.

  10. Libyan Banks Forum

    Paga comes to Libya

    The whiteboard idea for banking the unbanked in Libya became real: Eli brought Paga to the Libyan market, an online marketplace and payments platform working like Amazon or eBay combined with Zelle. He spoke about it at the Libyan Banks Forum, where Paga appeared as an official partner alongside the country's leading banks.

  11. Outdoors

    The desert and Lake Mead

    Eli loved to be outdoors, exploring the desert by dirtbike or scuba diving in Lake Mead.

  12. August 4, 2026

    At peace

    Eli passed away at the age of 25. His family remembers him for his kindness, curiosity, joy, and fun, and are profoundly grateful that he is now at peace.