Last night, after a long battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer, Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs died peacefully in his home in the Silicon Valley of California. The death was announced by Apple, reminding the world of his brilliance, passion, and energy that allowed for the technological innovations that changed the world for the better. He revolutionized the world with his ideas, always focusing on sleek designs to make devices that were completely user-friendly.
I myself first found out when I was checking Twitter on my MacBook Pro and talking to my dad on my iPhone. He then headed to the internet on his iPad and read the news for himself. This small anecdote just shows exactly how influential Jobs was, as his products permeate our homes and have made their way into our everyday lives.
Reaction Around the World
Statements regarding Jobs’ death were made by such world leaders as Microsoft founder Bill Gates, George Lucas, The Walt Disney Company’s Bob Iger, and U.S. president Barack Obama. Recognized as one of the world’s most powerful and influential people, Jobs’ death sent Apple fans straight to the internet to send their condolences and share their stories.
Many quoted a speech Jobs made to a graduating class at Stanford University as a huge source of inspiration for their lives. He spoke of death, and how it is “the most important tool” to help make big choices in life. ”Remembering that you are going to die,” he said, “is the best way to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” Jobs asked for forgiveness for sounding a little dramatic, but he wanted to remind the students to “have the courage to follow your own heart and intuition.”
News Hits Many Hard
I guess his death wasn’t really a surprise, since he had been battling cancer for months, but it still hits hard. I didn’t know Jobs personally– of course I didn’t, as only a small number of the millions of Apple users really did– but I still feel a sort of connection with him. He will surely be missed, and I hope the Apple brand doesn’t suffer because it lost an amazing, creative genius.