Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen Dies At 65 After Battle With Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Paul Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft, died on Monday at the age of 65.

According to several reports, Allen died in his native Seattle following complications from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Two weeks ago, the entrepreneur and philanthropist announced he was receiving treatment for the cancer.

Allen enrolled in Washington State University for two years but then dropped out to co-found Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975.

After leaving Microsoft in 1983, Allen founded investment company Vulcan Inc. three years later.

“Paul Allen’s contributions to our company, our industry and to our community are indispensable,” Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said in a statement. “As co-founder of Microsoft, in his own quiet and persistent way, he created magical products, experiences and institutions, and in doing so, he changed the world.”

Allen was ranked 44th on Forbes’ 2018 list of billionaires with a $20.5 billion fortune. He helped donate to several organizations and institutions in Seattle, including universities. Allen also donated millions of dollars to causes like the Ebola virus, homelessness and gun reform.

50 CELEBRITIES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Allen was also the owner of two professional sports teams: the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA and the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. He also had an ownership stake in the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer.

Both teams shared tributes to Allen on Twitter:

We miss you.
We thank you.
We love you. pic.twitter.com/rxkn1IjJ0R

— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 15, 2018

“It was an honor and a privilege to know and work for Paul Allen these past six years. He was a man of unparalleled passion, creativity and vision that expected those with whom he surrounded himself to strive for the same standards of excellence he held himself to.” – Neil Olshey

— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) October 16, 2018

“As long as we work together — with both urgency and determination — there are no limits to what we can achieve.” – @PaulGAllen pic.twitter.com/kEbqETBoN3

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 16, 2018

I will be always thankful for @PaulGAllen’s generosity and his kind heart. He was a genius, and genuine person, who cared about humanity all over the world and it was an honor to be able to learn from and be around such a great leader. https://t.co/wJPg5b2xnw

— Michael Bennett (@mosesbread72) October 15, 2018

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell also praised Allen, saying he was the “driving force” behind the strength of the league in the Pacific Northwest.

Among the other organizations Allen started were the space travel firm Stratolaunch and the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence.

Here are other tributes to Allen on social media:

So sad to hear about the passing of Paul Allen. Among many other things he was a pioneer of commercial space travel. We shared a belief that by exploring space in new ways we can improve life on Earth. All our thoughts are with his loved ones.

— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) October 15, 2018

Sad to hear of the passing of Paul Allen, who was a strong advocate for environmental protection. He and the team at Vulcan played a pivotal role in developing the Shark Conservation Fund alongside LDF. His legacy lives on via his incredible work as a philanthropist and investor.

— Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) October 16, 2018

RIP Paul. You were a good man and will be missed. Rock and Roll Heaven just got a lot better https://t.co/bOSmF5Dcqi

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) October 15, 2018