Susan Wojcicki, a leading business executive who was YouTube’s CEO for nine years and significantly contributed to Google’s success, died at the age of 56 on Friday, as reported by her family. Her death was announced by her husband, Dennis Troper, who paid tribute her “brilliant mind” in a touching Facebook tribute.
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, remarked that Wojcicki had been battling cancer for two years, noting that it is “hard to imagine the world without her.” Wojcicki’s death comes just montsh after her son, Marco Troper died from a drug overdose. Wojcicki gained prominence in Silicon Valley, during her nine-year tenure as the head of YouTube.
End of a Tough Battle
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“It is with profound sadness that I share the news of Susan Wojcicki passing,” Wojcicki’s husband Dennis Troper said on Facebook. “Susan was not just my best friend and partner in life, but a brilliant mind, a loving mother, and a dear friend to many.
“Her impact on our family and the world was immeasurable. We are heartbroken, but grateful for the time we had with her. Please keep our family in your thoughts as we navigate this difficult time.”
Wojcicki, one of Google’s earliest employees, had close relationship with founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Notably, she had rented her Menlo Park garage to Page and Brin in September 1998, the month Google was incorporated.
She played a key role in urging Google to acquire YouTube and was appointed CEO in 2014.
The following year, TIME Magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Wojcicki stepped down from her role at YouTube in February 2023, ending a 25-year tenure with Alphabet/Google, to “begin a new chapter focused on my family, health, and personal projects.”
Community’s Big Loss
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In his post on her death, Pichai said Wojcicki was ‘as core to the history of Google s anyone.’ “She was an incredible person, leader and friend who had a tremendous impact on the world and I’m one of countless Googlers who is better for knowing her,” he wrote.
She married Dennis Troper in 1998, and they had five children together.
In February, Wojcicki’s son, Marco Troper, was found dead in a dorm room at the University of California, Berkeley.
The 19-year-old’s death was attributed to a mix of high levels of alprazolam—a medication often known as Xanax—along with cocaine, amphetamine, and the antihistamine hydroxyzine, as reported by SFGATE.
The coroner’s report from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office also noted low levels of THC in his system. The combination of alprazolam and cocaine in Troper’s bloodstream was deemed fatal by officials.
