Thread by @bhunstable

@villi @balajis @rabois 1/ My son died last Friday, three days before his 13th birthday from COViD, but not how you think.

@villi @balajis @rabois 2/ First let me say I’m containing any ill-will towards anyone and the situation as best I can.

I am one perspective I’m sure among many. I also recognize the butterfly effect of opportunity for my son to be sitting here now, full of life in my lap, is infinite

@villi @balajis @rabois 3/ I also believe there was no easy answer, very difficult decisions for leaders in the world, and naturally as humans we struggle to understand complex network effects. It is always much easier to solve the suffering in front of you, especially when as bad and terrible as COViD

@villi @balajis @rabois 4/ Also for those who lost a loved one directly to COViD, my heart hurts for you. I pray you find peace and comfort in your mourning.

@villi @balajis @rabois 5/ I also firmly believe companies like mine, @LinearLabsInc, are more important than ever. Cleaner, smarter energy and solutions, advanced auto automation and manufacturing infrastructure in the US is more critical than ever.

forbes.com/sites/billrobe…

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 6/ But my fear is by solving the horrible, unfair, terrible problem that unfolded in front of us, we sacrificed a future of our kids and generations, perhaps even created more suffering than we can understand.

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 7/ I’m not looking for all the flaws in my logic or a big debate, I just want to share my perspective of a grieving dad of a young boy, young leader, in a little town in Texas so full of life. Share the perspective of a CEO (me) so passionate already about this next wave of clean

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 8/ before I start, I believe my son was a soldier. I’m a West Point graduate. My graduating class 2001, suffered(s) immensely post 9-11, but our motto though is ‘Til Duty Is Done’. My son has started #conversations around the state and I hope the country. This was his mission.

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 9/ I have attached our statement we put out to our lovely, supportive community of Aledo Texas.

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 10/ Now for my thoughts...

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 11/ Once this virus wasn’t contained someone had to die. It’s not fair. It’s not explainable.

The decision of who is inconceivably hard, unimaginably difficult.

I’m stating the obvious, but overtime we must, as a world community, execute better once a pandemic is detected.

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 12/ However, the decisions made pushed the wrong groups to suffer and be sacrificed in the short term and long term.

People will suffer for generations. Data increasingly shows a much larger group of infected than initial thought- meaning less deadly (if I’m wrong I apologize)

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 13/ The world completely mismanaged this- not just this federal government, not just the states, not just China, the USA etc.

In fact, this failure extends back many many administrations.

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 14/ In the face of fear and undeniable, inevitable suffering, we chose the solution that had the least immediate risk. Understandable

OTHER solutions were there to protect as many as possible, despite complete failure of decades of planning/outsourcing of critical infra.

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 15/ I recognize I came from a background of West Point & Army that’s different than most

I spent years thinking and processing that I might one day have to give my life for the constitution, our way of life, my friend soldiers and people I never knew. I’m no hero though

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 16/ but nothing will change what happened. My heart doesn’t have the strength for any blame or hate other than my own personal sense of responsibility I hold against my self, probably forever.

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 17/ so what now? First please everyone talk to their kids. #conversationsmatter. I know my son would be alive today if he had been in school, around friends, in soccer.

The human condition is not total and complete isolation. It just isn’t. I share the details of my story....

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 18/ in hope you all talk with your kids.
Take them with u to the park. Get off iPhone and tell them they can talk to you about anything. My son broke his monitor (again!) during Fortnite. He couldn’t handle it & got into a situation I believe he didn’t mean & couldn’t get out of

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 19/ the CEO in me says now is the time to start an AAR (After Action Review) which one conclusion IMHO is we could have done this smarter (I’m not just talking testing, PPP failures). Somewhere between the world is ending predictions of many and this is just the flu- is truth.

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc 20/ I have and continue to fully support and believe what @pmarca has proposed:

“There is only one way to honor their legacy and to create the future we want for our own children and grandchildren, and that’s to build.”

a16z.com/2020/04/18/its…

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc @pmarca 21/ This virus may have been the “easy one.”

As the climate warms and the earth suffers more, there will be more direct AND indirect suffering of kids, parents, mental health suffers, suffering medical heroes, families and economies.

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc @pmarca 22/ I say in final as tears pour down my face, VCs you need to step up. Not run.

Early as I attempted to fundraise for @LinearLabsInc, most of you in SV, my old stomping ground, brushed me aside for SAAS (my last successful exit) and TikToks- a successfully exited 2nd time CEO

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc @pmarca 23/ If you don’t step up and fund what really matters, more kids like my son will die. (As I write this my father tells me a old family friend committed suicide)

Your duty is beyond returns. Do your civic duty.

As my sons eyes closed, our eyes opened.
dallasnews.com/business/techn…

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc @pmarca 24/ No matter your opinion or if you vehemently disagree with me I respect you. We are a nation of different perspectives. And that’s okay.

Like in team development, diversity of people, opinions makes us stronger. But we must listen better on both sides of the aisle.

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc @pmarca 25/ Tuesday I gave the speech of my life at my sons birthday, this Saturday I’ll say goodbye.

I want no one to ever feel this pain. Remember, we are humans and we need connection. This pandemic showed most people will do the right thing when asked! I’m proud of us all for this

@villi @balajis @rabois @LinearLabsInc @pmarca 26/ Im reminded of a line from my alma mater

“And when our work is done,
Our course on earth is run,
May it be said, "Well done"
Be thou at peace."

What do you want to be remembered for? ‘Til Duty Is Done.

God Bless You All and God Bless The greatest experiment ever- America