The tech world mourns Susan Wojcicki

Susan Wojcicki, a longtime Google worker who served as YouTube’s CEO for nearly a decade, died Friday after a two-year battle with non-small cell cancer.

Wojcicki, who was 56, famously rented the garage of her Menlo Park home to Larry Page and Sergey Brin after they founded Google. She went on to turn into one in all the corporate’s first 20 female employees, becoming YouTube’s CEO in 2014 before stepping down last 12 months.

Once her husband Dennis Trooper and CEO of Google Sundar Pichai shared the news On Friday evening, Wojcicki’s colleagues, friends and peers began posting their very own memories and reflections. We’ve collected a few of their posts here; we’ll update them as more are published.

Marc Benioff (Co-Founder and CEO of Salesforce):

Tim Cook (Apple CEO):

Neal Mohan (YouTube CEO):

Melinda French’s Gates (philanthropist):

John Green (author and YouTuber):

I’m heartbroken to learn that former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki has died. She was (very quietly) the one largest donor to our project supporting maternal health in Sierra Leone. She never once asked for recognition or attention for her gifts – she simply privately supported our project and plenty of others. An exceptional leader and person.

Hank Green (author and YouTuber):

Susan stepped down from her role only a 12 months ago after nearly ten incredibly complex and fraught years on the helm of YouTube. I got to know her quite well during that point and located her to be incredibly caring, but additionally surprisingly nice considering how fucking tough she was. It’s so fucking sad…

Diane von Furstenberg (designer):

Rest in peace dear Susan Wojcicki, mother, sister, daughter, loyal friend… Smart, caring, funny… We will all miss you ❤️🙏❤️… Witness to our century, Google began in her garage… YouTube flourished under her leadership… She fought for her life and eventually joined her beloved son Marco! The world is not going to be the identical without you… Rest in peace ❤️❤️❤️

Kara Swisher (journalist):

She was a real treasure in Silicon Valley – a sort, warm and loving woman who lived with integrity while being a beautiful mother to her five children.

Marquis Brownlee (YouTuber):

Emily Chang (journalist):

Ron Conway (enterprise capitalist):

Alex Winter (director, “The YouTube Effect”):

Rest in Peace Susan Wojcicki. I interviewed her for our YouTube documentary and located her sensible, kind, compassionate, and willing to listen and consider the extraordinary criticisms of the platform.

Matt Ross (Former YouTube CEO and Founder of Day2 Health):

Such sad news. Susan was an incredible leader, but she led with compassion. She was so kind to me after I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and incredibly took the time to attach with me. She didn’t all the time just like the creative work I presented. But she had an incredible ability to reject work she didn’t like without making you are feeling like a whole idiot. I wish her family long life.