The University of California, Berkeley, was shrouded in sorrow this week following the tragic death of 19-year-old freshman Marco Troper, the son of former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki. Troper was found unresponsive in his college dorm, igniting heartbreaking shockwaves through the influential Silicon Valley family.
Speaking to local media, Troper’s grandmother Esther Wojcicki revealed that his untimely passing was likely due to a drug overdose, leaving the family utterly devastated. In a poignant online tribute, Susan Wojcicki described her grandson as “the most kind, loving, smart, fun, and beautiful human being.”
While the official cause of death is pending investigation, Susan Wojcicki expressed her belief that her grandson fell victim to a drug overdose. She cautioned about the prevalence of fentanyl-laced drugs and highlighted the alarming rise of drug-related fatalities among young people, particularly in comparison to the ongoing pandemic.
With an impassioned plea for awareness, Wojcicki emphasized the stark contrast between the drugs of today, frequently tainted with fentanyl, and their historical counterparts. This is a grave reality that has placed adolescents and college students at severe risk, with fentanyl emerging as the primary culprit behind the tragic mortality rates among those aged 18 to 45.
The widespread impact of fentanyl is indeed harrowing, with the National Institute on Drug Abuse reporting over 107,000 drug overdose deaths in 2021, largely attributed to the lethal synthetic opioid.
The Wojcicki family, renowned for their significant influence in Silicon Valley, has been coping with a series of profound losses. Susan Wojcicki, who helmed YouTube as CEO for many years, departed from her position last year following a storied 25-year tenure with the company’s parent organization, Google.
Adding to the family’s influential lineage, Anne Wojcicki, Troper’s maternal aunt, co-founded the pioneering genetic testing company 23andMe and presently serves as its CEO. The family’s patriarch, Stanley Wojcicki, a distinguished physicist at Stanford University, also passed away last year.
Esther Wojcicki, affectionately known as the “Godmother of Silicon Valley,” holds her own prominent status. She is the visionary behind the Palo Alto High School Media Arts Program and authored the book “How to Raise Successful People,” a compelling publication that has left a lasting mark in educational and parenting circles.