Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen, Owner Of The Seahawks, Sounders & Trail Blazers, Dead At 65

From CNN:

Allen died in Seattle from complications related to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He had just announced two weeks ago that he was being treated for the disease. Allen also owned two professional sports teams, NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.

“My brother was a remarkable individual on every level,” Allen’s sister, Jody Allen, said in a statement on behalf of his family. “He was a much loved brother and uncle, and an exceptional friend.”

Allen was treated for the cancer in 2009, and had been in remission. Two weeks ago, he said he planned “on fighting this aggressively” while continuing to work on his various projects and his sports teams.

Allen founded Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975 and left in 1983, when he was treated for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The Sounders MLS website noted that Allen’s passion for Seattle sports began when he’d go to University of Washington football games with his dad. This led him to buying the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks in 1996, saving them from relocation to Southern California. In 2014, the Seahawks became Super Bowl XLVIII champions after taking out the Denver Broncos 43 – 8.

Allen had a net worth of over 20.2 billion but stayed humble. Over his lifetime he donated about $1.5 billion to charity & has also contributed at least $281 million to Washington State since the ’90s.

“You’ve got to enjoy time with your family and friends, and if you’re involved in sports franchises, those peak moments in playoff games. You have to enjoy life.” – Paul Allen