Dave Goldberg cause of death? I think it’s suicide
First of all, let me say that I feel really bad for everyone who is losing Dave Goldberg in their life. I feel bad that he will not get to see his two kids grow up. His death is very sad. I have not had a spouse die or a parent die and I’m sure the experience is more awful than I could even imagine.
Still. I can’t help but wonder how he died. It is completely standard in journalism to report the cause of death when the announcement is made. After the initial, cursory announcement of death, major publications frequently run an obituary when a famous person dies, yet the Wall St. Journal and the New York Times ran formal obituaries and still mention nothing of the cause of death.
If there were suspicion of murder, there would be a police report.
If there were some sort of complicated condition that Dave kept a secret, the death announcement could follow a time-honored tradition of being vague and uninformative, like saying “heart condition” or “muscular complication” or even “degenerative disease”.
Let’s say he has a terrible disease, like the one in Still Alice, where he will die early and so will his children. And let’s say his children do not know and the family has chosen not to tell them. Fine. The announcement could use that same, vague language.
If the family does not want to talk about the cause of death, it seems that the most logical thing to do would be to announce some sort of vague cause that would stop people from asking questions. But surely the family knows there will be questions if they say nothing. Dave and Sheryl are the most vocal couple on the planet about how to have a dual-career marriage, and one half of that marriage is gone. Of course people will ask questions. The best way to stop the questions is to give a vague, boring cause of death.
So the only explanation I can see for being totally quiet on this topic is that he killed himself.
Why is this important? Why do I get to ask the personally invasive question about his death?
Because Sheryl Sandberg, who was married to him, is not only Facebook’s COO, but she is also the author of the book Lean In. That book tells women that they should have a career like Sheryl’s. And, most significantly for this post, that women should pick a spouse like Dave.
Sheryl has said over and over again that it is because of her spouse that she is able to Lean In (which, loosely translated, means work insanely long hours and have kids and have a great marriage).
I want to know, how can someone Lean In as a single parent? I wonder how someone will Lean In when there is no other parent to comfort a sad child.
If this sounds spiteful and ugly it is. But I think it is also appropriate, and who else would say it besides me?
Most people have something in their life that prevents them from leaning in. I don’t actually even think this is a gender thing. I coach hundreds of men whose earning power plateaus because they won’t relocate or they won’t work weekends, or they want to be home for spring break. It’s not that we are victims of life, it’s that at some point in most of our lives there comes a time when something else is more important than Leaning In.
I don’t have any evidence that it was a suicide. All I have is someone notable died and no one is saying how. And however Sheryl’s husband died is news, since she has been news for three years telling women their husband is instrumental into the process of Leaning In.
But really, I just want to know how Dave died. Because I think he killed himself. And if he did, this might tells us a lot about what happens when both people in marriage Lean In.
Update: A few hours after I published this post news outlets started reporting various other causes of death. Here is my response to those reports: Do we still have to lean in if Dave Goldberg is dead?
Sheryl Sandberg made money selling the idea that women can “lean in” and have it all and life will be great, while her husband was clearly not doing well. She wouldn’t be the first snake oil sales(wo)man but she shouldn’t get a pass for giving dangerous advice to women and their families. Thanks Penelope for have the guts to say what few people are willing to.
And now the media reports that he died while exercising. What did your early and unnecessary speculation achieve except a lot of base attention for YOU? Where do you go now with your theory? While I don’t expect everyone to follow the “kind, necessary and true” rule, necessary and true might be a good place to start.
Wow, this is one of the most shockingly sexist things I have ever read. Would you ever conjecture this if a male executive’s wife died?
Very interesting piece. There’s also fascinating analysis of the media’s kid-glove treatment of both Goldberg (an insulting, embarrassing tribute to him as an “advocate for women’s right’s”) below. Also, the idea of Sandberg as a feminist is highly offensive; in her “book,” she made liberal use of that old chestnut, essentially blaming women for sexism and misogyny–as if the huge, complex landscapes of sexism and misogyny didn’t even exist. Here’s the link: http://www.richardbradley.net/shotsinthedark/2015/05/04/remembering-dave-goldberg-truthfully/
WOW! One problem I find with bloggers who parade as journalist is they never took the class on integrity & having all the facts before they print…. Seriously what did you hope to accomplish by your post??? Will now follow you for a few days to see what your character is made in anticipation of your retraction & acknowledging your mistake. You have children; Dave Goldberg has children. They all deserve better then this post.
The facts;
The reason for the delay, say sources close to Goldberg’s family, including his wife, Sheryl Sandberg, is that they don’t yet know.
“Dave Goldberg was on vacation with family and friends in Mexico,” these sources said in a statement Monday morning. “He collapsed while exercising in the gym. Efforts to revive him at the gym and at a local hospital were unsuccessful.”
A source close to the family says it plans to release more information when it is available. The source didn’t say where in Mexico Goldberg died. As I wrote Saturday in a tribute to Goldberg’s remarkable life, he called me on the way to the airport Thursday morning as he and Sandberg were on their way out of town for a weekend getaway.
The cause is now known, Penelope. And you are a liar. Plan to publish that tidbit?
Just because you are an a shitty relationship and your life is messed up doesn’t mean every woman is. Just because your husband beats you doesn’t mean every man is an abusive psychopath.
You, my dear, are a shitty excuse for a human who has literally done NOTHING but talk. When you actually create something besides noise and drama, then maybe some of your psychological problems will go away.
Jetting off to LA to get your hair done when your kids have the issues you do, is some seriously fucked up narcissistic shit.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
Sorry, that was garbled. Trying again:
Very interesting piece. There’s also fascinating analysis of the media’s kid-glove treatment of Goldberg (including an insulting, embarrassing tribute to him as an “advocate for women’s right’s”) at a url linked below. I have to add that the idea of Sandberg as a feminist is highly offensive; in Lean In, she made liberal use of that old chestnut, essentially blaming women for the huge, complex landscapes of sexism and misogyny; the implicit argument is “What’s wrong with you? Be more like a man!”. Here’s the link: http://www.richardbradley.net/shotsinthedark/2015/05/04/remembering-dave-goldberg-truthfully/
I know someone that was friends with him and he had some heart condition . It is totally believable that his heart gave out while exercising. I am all for speculation but this is incorrect.
You sick people! And mostly you, Penelope Trunk, for pushing this sordid idea so that you could rank on the search engines.
A little education for you: there is this important task called AN AUTOPSY. Many people die and it is not known why until an autopsy is performed.
If you would hold your damn breath for ONE day you might then learn what happened. So, here’s the story: he went to Mexico with his wife and friends on vacation so he could take his life. Do you feel stupid yet? You should and ashamed as well.
I agree with the other commenter, if any of you have kids, someone should take them way b/c you’ve proven yourself unworthy of parentage.
Oh and, way to not understand the book she wrote. Good job there too.
In a free thinking western democracy we are entitled to speak up when a high profile person dies in highly suspicious circumstances. Dave Goldberg died at age 47 suddenly from blunt head trauma. Does this not deserve further discussion and analysis?
How can I turn off notifications from this disgusting blog with its idiotic commenters?
Penelope,
What you posted here is dreadful. You’re children should not be homeschooled by a creature such as you.
If there’s a God, then there’s a suicide that’s been committed here by you: Your career.
I get your points, Penelope, but NYT is now reporting he died while exercising at a resort in Punta Mita, and friends and family, including Sheryl, were there with him. So, unless those are flat out lies, the mistress, depression, and/or suicide theories are pretty big stretches of the facts at hand…
Rich Davis: Leaving grossly dehumanizing, denigrating posts about *anyone* does not reflect well on the poster. Period. Good luck with that God thing, man.
Now…head trauma while exercising????
http://mashable.com/2015/05/04/dave-goldberg-cause-of-death/
Found this little blog by accident. I’m absolutely appaled at the petty nature of its writing, the assumptions the author made and the timing and manner within which she chose to make her argument. Penelope, if you’re a ‘journalist’, you’re of the TMZ, Ann Coulter, Junior High School Student Newspaper variety. But perhaps that’s being unfair to Student Newspapers. Moreover, most of the commenters are idiots as well. Whilst public conjecture and accusations on someone’s death may be fodder for entertainment for your likes, Penelope, the truth is Mr. Goldberg died from a devastating injury sustained by an accident at the Gym – he did not pitch a heart attack because he was carrying around too much belly fat. And for those who make the connection “well if he weren’t stress-eating/overweight, he’d wouldn’t have had to exercise ergo his death is the fault of his wife’s career philosophy.” All I can reply is what. the. f***. A family man has died in a tragic accident, shame on anyone whose knee-jerk reaction is to connect this to his wife’s book.
Yes, I have to agree, this was spiteful and ugly. Shame on you for this level of unnecessarily mean-spirited speculation of real people facing real loss.
His cause of death of head trauma, his body was transported where I work and I spoke to the hearse drivers. He was on vacation with his family in Mexico at the time and was found in a pool of blood.
Yeah, yeah, that’s the ticket. The treadmill. Makes a lot of sense; kudos to the Times for printing that one in such timely manner. What’s that?– you say that if (as could hardly be missed) he’d fallen and hit his head, it would have been simple and ethical to indicate or suggest as much from the get-go? (Pause for sanctimonious, shocked gasp from our Sanctimonious Consensus Chorus) For shame! We will banish you from this sanctimonious land, Sir! You, Sir, are a conspiracy theorist! Avast! I do abhor thee!
Goldberg died while working out at a hotel gym. Go fuck yourself Penelope.
+1
Penelope Trunk, I hope that you are never in the position of reading an equally uninformed and heartless person’s speculation about the cause of death of a person you love. It is so inappropriate to speculate about his cause of death. First of all, it probably wasn’t known at the time the news was reported. An autopsy would have been required to determine the cause of death unless he was known to be suffering from a serious illness. Secondly, the fact that his death occurred in a different country — and not in a major city in a different country — no doubt added some delay to determining the cause of death. Thirdly, he was not a politician nor an executive at a publicly traded company, so there’s no “right to know,” however curious we may all be. It is entirely within his wife’s rights to withhold the cause of death if she wants to. So many of the comments in this string, starting with Penelope’s, are completely reprehensible.
This is very sad. However Penelope is within her rights to ask what happened. This is what we know as of 2:30pm PT:
1) He died Friday
2) No news where or how
3) Monday morning, ALL major news outlets run same story he died while exercising in Mexico at a private resort.
4) 2:28 PT NY Times published http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/05/technology/dave-goldberg-cause-of-death.html that he died of head trauma by falling off a treadmill at the Four Seasons resort.
Somehow they knew it happened at 4 yet he was alone on the floor in the gym for 3 hours and not discovered by any employee or guest. Yet it was his brother who discovered him in a “pool of blood” 3 hours later.
Here are some problems:
1) Private resort becomes a public Four Seasons
2) Have you ever been to a Four Seasons? There are always attendants. Chance someone could fall down and be injured or dead for 3 hours? Next to 0.
3) Now that its “head trauma” the suicide part doesnt sound totally crazy anymore.
4) Where was Sheryl? At the resort, somewhere else? A deleted tweet said she was in Washington, DC on Friday.
These are some of the biggest players at one of the world’s largest media companies. Not saying one way or the other but stories can be placed, changed, polished with some people and money.
This is not an open and shut thing and it is very sad. I’ve met Ms Sandberg and my heart goes out to her and her family.
Penelope, oh thee with the fake name, don’t we have a right to know your given name? You are a celebrity in your little world, are you not? And you seem to think that the public has a right to know all the lurid details about everything.
Your unbelievably snarky assumption about this man’s cause of death is about as journalistically low as it gets. I will unsubscribe and ceremoniously delete any future blog posts from you. You embody what is wrong with our society today…you completely lack any semblance of compassion, integrity or grace and publish outrageous gossip simply for the sake of publicity. Disgusting.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/surveymonkey-ceo-died-of-head-trauma-in-exercise-accident/ar-BBjaVDI?ocid=LENDHP
Penelope, you sure look stupid right now. Maybe wait a few days next time to see the cause of death is determined ?
Please take your post down and show some respect.
“SAN FRANCISCO — Dave Goldberg, husband of Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, died from accidental blunt force for trauma while exercising, according to Mexican officials.
The tech veteran was vacationing in Mexico with his wife and two children, and died Friday at age 47.
Quoting an unnamed official with the prosecutor’s office in the Mexican state of Nayarit, The New York Times reported Monday that Goldberg died of head trauma and blood loss while working out on a treadmill at the Four Seasons Resort in Punta Mita, just north of the vacation town of Puerto Vallarta. Officials at the Four Seasons Resort declined to confirm the report or whether Goldberg was staying there.”
What a thoughtless, insensitive blog. Idle speculation from an immature, inconsiderate would-be sensationalist. Now that the cause of Goldberg’s death has been released, you (and all who speculated with you) should issue a mea culpa and keep your mouth when the next famous person dies.
Havent seen such a jerk in my life. Is this the way to mourn a person’s sorrow who inspired so many women. Of course, your blog is looking for some cheap publicity -looks like you wait for such events to happen to get your much needed publicity. Is the cause of death really important for you or the fact that it is the most difficult time Sheryl and her two kids are going through? I couldn’t stop myself from writing but I am sure you would respond because you need more traffic to your site and make money from advertising. Hope the entire social advertising community bans you.
Wow, in all your haste (everyone here; author included) have gone off on a wild speculative chase that is completely avoidable with a little patience and forethought. I think my grandmother had it right when she said “if you don’t know what you are talking about, don’t.”
Let the backtracking begin.
Turns out Mr. Sandberg died suddenly during an exercise accident. It appears he fell from a treadmill and hit his head.
http://bigstory.ap.org/urn:publicid:ap.org:21c0b84438e945d0b120baf50691486b
Given your publishing of this post barely more than 24 hours after the news of Mr. Sandberg’s death broke, I think the timing of your question was horrible. It strikes me as blatantly opportunistic on your part as a way to divert the focus from shock and grief, and insert yourself into the narrative with this premise. I’m glad your hypothesis appears to be proven quite wrong on this one.
I would respectfully ask that Ms. Trunk remove this very offensive post. As someone who has lost a loved one to suicide, I can only say this is in very poor taste and very disrespectful to this family.
Dancing on someone’s grave because of a book they wrote? You’re disgusting. It was bad enough when your blog became completely boring after you moved to the farm, but now you’re so desperate for attention you’ll apparently say anything. Stopped by after a long hiatus, won’t be back ever.
The sock puppets are out in full force. The rich, powerful, and media-controlling have endless supplies of them. It’s all so ethical.
Well, if you haven’t heard already, he collapsed off of a treadmill and died of head trauma.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/05/technology/dave-goldberg-cause-of-death.html
I love your stake in the world.
You are right, no one would write this but you. I can have empathy for those who are writing comments here that blast you and call you names–but as someone who has followed you for years, I know better.
You have lived a very real life and there is something more important to you than being popular. You are for a world where people make choices about what is important to them and bear the consequences of those choices. In their careers, in their marriages, in their families.
Bravo Penelope. I am one of your biggest fans!
Penelope Your article should have been titled I wish it was suicide. to justify your worthless existence.
You’re pathetic!! Lean in and get a life. You wish you could have a great life however can only raise yourself up by trying to bring someone else’s down. Real life doesn’t work that way and hopefully someday you find that out!!!
I wonder if blunt trauma to the back of the head is a common suicide technique?
, died of head trauma Friday night after he collapsed at the gym at a private resort in Mexico, according to a Mexican government official.
Mr. Goldberg, 47, was on vacation with family and friends at the Four Seasons Resort near Punta Mita, close to Puerto Vallarta in southwest Mexico, according to a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office in Nayarit State. Mr. Goldberg left his room around 4 p.m. on Friday, collapsed while exercising and died of head trauma and blood loss, said the spokesman. His brother, Robert Goldberg, found him on the floor of the gym at the resort at around 7 p.m., with blood around him. The spokesman said it appears “he fell off the treadmill and cracked his head open.”
Cross-post, Dawn! Thank you for this information.
This is puzzling, and I thank Penelope for broaching the hard questions. He is said to have died of “severe head trauma,” and also to have died after exercising. So which is it? Or is it both? Conceivably, he could have had suffered an aneurysm while exercising, fallen, and hit his head on a hard object. “News” outlets should wait until they can publish the full and correct story.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/05/technology/dave-goldberg-cause-of-death.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
I guess this ruins your narrative, or will you come up with another idea?
Anyone holding their breath waiting for an already overdue apology from this attention-seeking, unethical, heartless woman?
Me neither.
Wow. Someone dies and you don’t immediately know the cause and you conclude suicide? And then make assumptions about the health of someone’s marriage because you don’t like the premise of his wife’s book? You probably know by now that Mr. Goldberg died of head trauma following a fall off of a treadmill. You should be ashamed of yourself.
The type of “journalism” that gives journalists a bad reputation.
As someone who has worked as a legitimate journalist, Amen!
Yeah, this really sounds like suicide:
https://fortune.com/2015/05/04/how-dave-goldberg-died/
Hey dickbags!
http://gawker.com/mexican-officials-say-dave-goldberg-died-after-falling-1702118187
And there goes your narative, you unfeeling, angry, misogynistic trolls. Fuck you, Trunk.
Something is up and it needs investigating. Mike Cernovich once wrote Sheryl flirted openly with him at her home. At 11:13 am May 1, 2015 he makes a rather strange post on FB regarding dying on a treadmill. This has to be the most bizarre thing ever. https://www.facebook.com/MikeCernovich?fref=ts Does he know something?
It seems, Penelope, you’ve forgotten this;
“So what has changed? I appreciate kindness more. The kindness of an arm around my shoulder, the kindness of a warm shower from a stranger. The kindness of my husband. And I appreciate the daily routine of life. Waking up. Tending the to-do list. And not treating every moment like it’s my last. Because it’s not. This is my life, unfolding. It’s my dream come true. It’s not unfolding like I thought it would, but I’m getting to watch it. Thank god.”
Really? You want to use that douche as an example of truth telling?
Um, oops….None of the above….Hope the clicks and sleaziness were worth it, Penelope:
http://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/SurveyMonkey-CEO-died-of-head-trauma-in-exercise-6241399.php
He supposedly suffered head trauma from falling off a treadmill in Mexico. Do you believe that? I don’t.
Sounds ridiculous on the surface. I’ve read on some websites “That’s mexico, less safety, guard rails, etc than we are used to in the US…”
So we’re to believe these billionaires rushed from DC to mexico, entire family and friends in tow and the first thing Dave does is goes to some run down fitness center, fatally injures himself, and then isn’t found for 2 hours? This is supposed to be plausible? Not buying it for one second.
I didn’t know Dave Goldberg personally, but I have frequently seen him around our neighborhood. He is not overweight, nor did he ever looked stressed.
This blog post and the rampant speculation that agreed with “Penelope” is evidence that while you can have language skills, logical skills (and certainly decorum) don’t necessarily evolve at the same rate.
I can’t emphasize enough how stupid, idiotic, unreasonable, uninformed, etc…the original post was especially in light of what we know now. It is why they invented libel laws– to protect people from unwarranted hateful speech. This is not a first amendment issue and you should really familiarize yourself with why it is not. I hope that the Goldberg’s or Sandberg’s family lawyers follow up with you and help you realize this.
What a rush to judgment you made!!! It had only been a day, next time consider some patience.
Imagine you saw this by now: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/dave-goldberg-cause-of-death-died-head-trauma-201545
Your piece was a bit awful. Have you ever lost anybody you are super close to? Do you lack empathy? If I were your PR person, I’d definitely suggest you write an apology blog and own up to showcasing douchebag behavior on this one.