Tragic Loss in the Wojcicki Family: Remembering Marco Troper, the Late Son of Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki
In a heartbreaking turn of events, the Wojcicki family, well-known in Silicon Valley, is grappling with the devastating loss of 19-year-old Marco Troper, the son of former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki. The young freshman was found unresponsive on February 13 at the UC Berkeley campus, where he was pursuing a major in math.
The news was confirmed by UC Berkeley, stating that Marco Troper was discovered in his residence at the Clark Kerr Campus. Despite the immediate response from emergency services, including the Berkeley Fire Department, Troper was pronounced dead, leaving the university community and his family in shock.
Esther Wojcicki, Marco’s grandmother and Susan’s mother, expressed the family’s profound grief in a heartfelt Facebook post, describing Marco as “the most kind, loving, smart, fun, and beautiful human being.” The post revealed that Marco had just begun his second semester at UC Berkeley and was thriving academically, enjoying his studies and forming connections within his dorm and fraternity.
As the family mourns this tragic loss, there is an ongoing investigation by the Alameda County coroner’s office to determine the cause of Marco’s untimely death. UC Berkeley spokesperson Janet Gilmore emphasized that there were no signs of foul play, adding that the university is cooperating fully with the investigation.
The Palo Alto Daily reported Esther Wojcicki’s statement regarding her grandson’s passing, noting that she believes it was a result of a suspected drug overdose. In an effort to bring awareness to the dangers of experimentation, she shared, “Kids in college, especially freshmen and sophomores, experiment with everything. I think this was an experiment that went wrong.” The family is now speaking out to the press, expressing a desire to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in other families.
Susan Wojcicki, who stepped down as CEO of YouTube a year ago to focus on her family and personal projects, has not yet made a public statement regarding her son’s passing. The Wojcicki family, including Susan’s sisters Anne Wojcicki, CEO of 23andMe, and Janet, a professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, is known for its prominence in the tech industry and education.
The Wojcicki matriarch, Esther, emphasized the family’s commitment to raising awareness about the dangers of drugs and preventing other families from experiencing such heartbreak. “Tragedy is very hard to sustain,” she told the San Francisco Chronicle, “But I think the main thing is that we need to push forward to see what we can do to help other people so there won’t be any other kids who end up like Marco.”
As the investigation unfolds, the Wojcicki family’s sorrow serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of addressing the challenges faced by young individuals, particularly in the context of substance experimentation.