Philip Gale was an American Internet software developer and a sophomore at MIT.
He gained recognition for developing Total Access while at MIT and was hired by EarthLink at 16 to further its development.
By 17, Gale had earned approximately a million dollars.
In 1995, Gale's father died from a heart attack, and friends said Gale struggled to come to terms with the loss.
On March 13, 1998, Gale jumped to his death from a classroom on the 15th floor of a building on the MIT campus.
Before he jumped he wrote Isaac Newton's equation for how an object accelerates as it falls on a blackboard along with a sketch of a stick figure tossing a chair. He signed it, "Phil was here".
His suicide note read:
Presumably I have jumped from a tall building. Yes, it is odd. To tell you why would be to tell you my mind! I cannot do this. I am not crazy, albeit driven to suicide. "It is not about any single event, or person. It is about stubborn sadness, and a detached view of the world. I see my life — so much dreary, mundane, wasted time wishing upon unattainable goals — and I feel little attachment to the future. But it is not so bad, relatively. I exaggerate. "In the end, it is that I am unwilling (sick of living) to live in mediocrity. And this is what I have chosen to do about it. "The saddest part is the inevitable guilt and sorrow I will force on my family and friends. But there is not much I can say. I am sorry. Try to understand that this is about me and my 'fuked up ideas.' It is not because I was raised poorly or not cared for enough. It just is. "Please give my $ to my family and my gizmos to people who will use them. — and no fuking suing! "I am scared of the fall. I am scared of the impact. But when it is through, it will be through. "take care world, Philip"
He gained recognition for developing Total Access while at MIT and was hired by EarthLink at 16 to further its development.
By 17, Gale had earned approximately a million dollars.
In 1995, Gale's father died from a heart attack, and friends said Gale struggled to come to terms with the loss.
On March 13, 1998, Gale jumped to his death from a classroom on the 15th floor of a building on the MIT campus.
Before he jumped he wrote Isaac Newton's equation for how an object accelerates as it falls on a blackboard along with a sketch of a stick figure tossing a chair. He signed it, "Phil was here".
His suicide note read:
Presumably I have jumped from a tall building. Yes, it is odd. To tell you why would be to tell you my mind! I cannot do this. I am not crazy, albeit driven to suicide. "It is not about any single event, or person. It is about stubborn sadness, and a detached view of the world. I see my life — so much dreary, mundane, wasted time wishing upon unattainable goals — and I feel little attachment to the future. But it is not so bad, relatively. I exaggerate. "In the end, it is that I am unwilling (sick of living) to live in mediocrity. And this is what I have chosen to do about it. "The saddest part is the inevitable guilt and sorrow I will force on my family and friends. But there is not much I can say. I am sorry. Try to understand that this is about me and my 'fuked up ideas.' It is not because I was raised poorly or not cared for enough. It just is. "Please give my $ to my family and my gizmos to people who will use them. — and no fuking suing! "I am scared of the fall. I am scared of the impact. But when it is through, it will be through. "take care world, Philip"
Philip Gale was an American Internet software developer and a sophomore at MIT.
He gained recognition for developing Total Access while at MIT and was hired by EarthLink at 16 to further its development.
By 17, Gale had earned approximately a million dollars.
In 1995, Gale's father died from a heart attack, and friends said Gale struggled to come to terms with the loss.
On March 13, 1998, Gale jumped to his death from a classroom on the 15th floor of a building on the MIT campus.
Before he jumped he wrote Isaac Newton's equation for how an object accelerates as it falls on a blackboard along with a sketch of a stick figure tossing a chair. He signed it, "Phil was here".
His suicide note read:
Presumably I have jumped from a tall building. Yes, it is odd. To tell you why would be to tell you my mind! I cannot do this. I am not crazy, albeit driven to suicide. "It is not about any single event, or person. It is about stubborn sadness, and a detached view of the world. I see my life — so much dreary, mundane, wasted time wishing upon unattainable goals — and I feel little attachment to the future. But it is not so bad, relatively. I exaggerate. "In the end, it is that I am unwilling (sick of living) to live in mediocrity. And this is what I have chosen to do about it. "The saddest part is the inevitable guilt and sorrow I will force on my family and friends. But there is not much I can say. I am sorry. Try to understand that this is about me and my 'fuked up ideas.' It is not because I was raised poorly or not cared for enough. It just is. "Please give my $ to my family and my gizmos to people who will use them. — and no fuking suing! "I am scared of the fall. I am scared of the impact. But when it is through, it will be through. "take care world, Philip"
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