Susan Wojcicki, the former CEO of YouTube and one of Google’s earliest employees, has died after a two-year battle with lung cancer. She was 56. The news was confirmed by her husband, Dennis Troper, in a Facebook post.
“It is with profound sadness that I share the news of Susan Wojcicki’s passing. My beloved wife of 26 years and mother to our five children left us today after two years of living with non-small cell lung cancer,” Troper wrote.
Troper described Wojcicki as “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,” Troper added. “Please keep our family in your thoughts as we navigate this difficult time.”
Wojcicki was a prominent figure in Silicon Valley, joining Google in its early days when its founders operated out of her garage in California. She became Google’s 16th employee and worked at the company for nearly 25 years.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressed condolences on X, calling Wojcicki “core” to Google’s history. “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. We will miss her dearly,” Pichai said.
Wojcicki served as YouTube’s CEO for nine years. Last year, she announced in a blog post that she would “step back” from her role to focus on her family, health, and personal projects.
In her resignation announcement, Wojcicki reflected on her tenure, saying, “I’m so proud of everything we’ve achieved. It’s been exhilarating, meaningful, and all-consuming.”
