It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Randy Pausch, who taught computer science at Carnegie Mellon University. Randy was well-known by many within the research community, including quite a number of us here at Google. Alfred Spector, our Vice President of Research, was his Ph.D. advisor. Rich Gossweiler, a Senior Research Scientist, was his first Ph.D. student. Several other former colleagues and coauthors (Joshua Bloch, Adam Fass, and Ning Hu) now work here.
All of us strive to make an impact with our research, and Randy was no exception. He will be remembered for his work, but also for his contributions to humanity at large. Millions have watched the video on YouTube from his lecture titled Achieving your Childhood Dreams. The strength of his character was already known to his family, his colleagues, and the broader computer science research community. The courage and optimism that he displayed at the end of his life became inspirational to millions more.
I've seen Randy repeatedly go to bat for what is right. As a leader, he consistently evoked incredible enthusiasm and optimism for the subjects he embraces. Randy had a very human passion about people and not just who they are, but their potential, despite any flaws or obstacles in their way. His contributions will be remembered for generations to come. - Rich Gossweiler
Randy was one of the most vibrant, passionate people I've ever known. His passion was inspirational not only to his family and colleagues, but also, because of his courageous presentations beginning with his well-known Last Lecture, he has influenced millions more. - Alfred Spector
We will miss Randy very much, and remember him fondly.
23 comments:
rest in peace
I read Randy's book when I was in the USA last month.When I came to INDIA I found the copies in the Oxford Bookstore and I PRAYED THAT THIS should become a bestseller.Incredible pesonality and teacher with amazing convictions and zest for life.GOD give strength to his family to bear this irreparable loss.
S P Rai, INDIA
It's great of Google to show appreciation to this fine young man. He was certainly an inspiration to millions.
I first became aware of Randy Pausch when a Youtube-link was sent to me on Facebook. It was from his visit on Oprah, and I was immidiately fascinated by him. I googled him and found the complete lecture. After that I have followed his struggle and now I hear he has passed away. Randy, you will be missed.
My thoughts go out to his family.
I am a engineering undergraduate from the National University of Singapore. I remember watching Prof Randy online last year, and feeling so inspired by him. I can only imagine how impactful it must have been to have interacted with him, either as his student, friend, mentor.
It is perhaps apt that he left an online legacy.
I'm sure his kids will be comforted to know that their dad was truly a great person to many people.
His hour plus last lecture was fantastic and, in my humble opinion, the last 30 seconds made the entire 60 minutes.
I am saddened to hear of Dr. Pausch's passing. I recently finished his book, laughing and crying from the first to the last page. I will be making his book required reading for my staff. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
I am from Pakistan and I just saw "The Last Lecture" just yesterday and I was so deeply touched and moved by his enthusiasm for life. I wish god bless his soul and his family has the strength to bear the loss.
I had heard of him before his death but on the day of his death I sat with my husband and we watched the whole lecture. We laughed we cried but most importantly we grew as better people because of it. Since Saturday I have watched his lecture on time management, and multiple interviews with him. And what he brought to my life 1000 miles away from him was an appreciaion for life and a reminder to live each day truly live. God bless his wife, children, extended family and friends. They must be some pretty amazing people to help create such an amazing man. He will be greatly missed.
I offered help to R.P. (through Oprah-never answered, and his university-refusing to act) believing 50:50 in success, but I believe he never got the offer. Now when he is gone I have again that terrible feeling that today we have false feeling that we can communicate with all the people, but it is not so, and is even harder than 30 years ago.
I was sorrowed to hear of Randy's passing. I had hopes he might be the one to actually beat that especially nasty form of cancer. Alas, no. I'm neutral on whether there's an afterlife, but it there is a better place, Randy certainly deserves to be there. My thoughts are with his family as they struggle to cope with his loss.
Perhaps Google would consider endowing a CMU scholarship in his name? The trick would be granting it, since it shouldn't be for any specific discipline: it should go to someone who displays Randy's passion and enthusiasm, regardless of what their field might be.
"I am flattered and embarassed by all the recent attention to my "Last Lecture." I am told that, including abridged versions, over six million people have viewed the lecture online. The lecture really was for my kids, but if others are finding value in it, that is wonderful. But rest assured; I'm hardly unique. Send your kids to Carnegie Mellon and the other professors here will teach them valuable life lessons long after I'm gone."
It's a tragic lost for all, for someone who holds such special gifts that is able to inspire and empower the passion of others... yet humble till the very end of his short but admirable life.
"Brick walls come in your life to show how badly you need things. They are not there to stop you, they are there to stop those people who do not need it badly enough. They are there to stop other people" -- Randy Pausch
"Experience is what you get when you dint get what you wanted" -- Randy Pausch
Two outstanding and very thought provoking statements made by him in "The Last Lecture"
One can make out the depth of his character even whilst sitting a thousand miles away and viewing a taped video.
I have been a fan of Randy ever since watching "The Last Lecture".
My only regret is that i wish i had met him in person & got a chance to go to CMU & attend any of the courses he taught.
Even as he was dying, he maintained a very positive attitude & genuinely cheerful...it was not just a facade....you could feel the warmth in his voice & his blog entries on his medical news update page
At times like these, we are forced to wonder, why did God snatch such an amazing & truly great human being.
Randy had so much going for him both professionally & personally...& then abruptly he literally got a death sentence.....anybody else in his situation would be angry & depressed...& genuinely so ...but he managed to be happy & content & not just that, he touched the life of millions of us & showed us "THE WAY TO LIVE"
My only regret is that i did not meet in person, such a gr8 human being .
I guess a good way to honour Randy's amazing legacy would be for all of us to try to follow his lessons & advice.
I pray to God to give his wife Jai, & children Dylan, Logan & Chloe, the strength & courage to face this
enormous tragedy,
AND
May his soul rest in peace.
Although he is physically not with us anymore, his spirit & his ideals will always remain alive within our hearts .
My personal goal is to try to my live my life, every day such that, Randy would have been proud of me
God Bless, Randy. You have inspired me.
Seems to me that if the flood of eulogies and posted comments are to be anything other than an ironic commentary on how many actually understood his message, it damn well better be the case that everyone posting about what a great loss this is, and how sad they are, and how much they're praying for his family, etc. have at some time in the last 6 months bothered to express the same sentiments to some other stranger closer to home, say, after reading about a death in the community, or in the family of someone in the neighborhood or from a nearby school or from their church. How sad that we form a quasi-intimate attachment with a total stranger and feel the loss of him more acutely than we would the loss of others so much more closely connected to us. I hope that for every second people mourn this death, they are also mourning the many more salient losses closer to home. Otherwise, this is nothing but the facade of grief, to be repeated the next time one of Oprah's or Youtube's flavors of the month comes along.
I read on Italian papers about professor Pauch's Last lecture a long time ago. I just stumbled on this sad news this morning, and I watched YouTube video entirely.
I just want to say: "Thanks Randy, for the things you taught me in a little more than an hour video."
I pray God that you rest in peace. And again many thanks for the things I learnt from you.
Having seen the video several months ago and then watching the ABC Primetime special "Remembering Randy Pausch" I come to the conclusion that the World lost a very special person. A person that touched the hearts of millions. A person that taught the world to live life to the fullest. You will be sadly missed Randy, but be assured, we are all truly living our lives.
My professor had us listen to his Last Lecture during class a few days afterwards. I was so motivated by him. It didn't seem like a long time before he was everywhere on the news. I am sure he was an asset to all the students he touched as well as everyone who saw the Last Lecture and various other places he visited.
I pray that his family will find peace at his passing. I know they will miss him more than anyone.
R.I.P oh propagator of hope
are there many instances of memorials on google front page?or is this the first?
would like to know so that i can enter it into the wikipedia article...
Never has the prospect of death given so much life to so many in so little time. We were lucky to have him.
I'm one of the millions who have been inspired by Randy. A truly great soul.
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