The journey of Susan, from the rented garage she started in with Larry and Sergey … to overseeing teams in various consumer products and establishing our Ads business … to ascending to the position of CEO of YouTube, one of the most prominent platforms globally, is truly remarkable. Yet, she didn’t halt there. As one of the original employees at Google — and the pioneer in taking maternity leave — Susan leveraged her role to cultivate a more favorable work environment for all. In the ensuing years, her advocacy for parental leave set a new benchmark for companies across the board. Susan also harbored a profound interest in education. Recognizing early on that YouTube could serve as a platform for learning worldwide, she championed “edutubers,” particularly those who broadened the scope of STEM education to underprivileged communities.

In the last couple of years, despite grappling with significant personal hardships, Susan devoted herself to enhancing the world through her philanthropic endeavors, which included backing research for the illness that ultimately claimed her life. I know this held deep significance for her, and I am truly grateful that she dedicated her time to such pursuits.

Susan consistently prioritized others, both in her principles and in her day-to-day actions. I will always remember her kindness towards me when I was a prospective “Noogler” two decades ago. During my interview at Google, she treated me to an ice cream and a stroll around the campus. I was immediately won over – by Google and by Susan.

It is with a sense of great fortune that I reflect on the many years I had the privilege of working closely with Susan, a sentiment I believe many of you share — she was truly adored by her teams here. Although her time on this earth was regrettably brief, she made each moment count.

We are maintaining close contact with Susan’s family, including her spouse and fellow Google colleague, Dennis. More details will be disclosed soon regarding how we intend to commemorate her extraordinary life. Meanwhile, let’s pay tribute to Susan’s legacy by persisting in the construction of a Google that would make her proud.

-Sundar