Microsoft's Indian-origin CEO Satya Nadella shared the sad news of his son's death on February 28. Satya and Anu Nadella's son Zain was 26 years old, and had been born with cerebral palsy.
The condition affects a person's ability to move, and maintain balance and posture, and is caused by abnormal brain development, or damage to the developing brain, as per the US CDC.
Microsoft reportedly informed its executive staff about Zain Nadella's passing away via an email and asked them to hold the Nadella family in their thoughts and prayers, while giving them space to grieve privately.
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Satya Nadella took over as the CEO of the tech giant in 2014. Using lessons from raising Zain, the chief executive reportedly steered the company towards making products to better serve differently-abled users.
Jeff Sperring, CEO of the Children's Hospital, where Zain received much of his treatment, said that he would be remembered for his "eclectic taste in music, bright sunny smile, and the immense joy he brought to his family". In 2021, the Children's Hospital also reportedly set up the Zain Nadella Endowed Chair in Pediatric Neurosciences, as part of Seattle Children's Center for Integrative Brain Research.