Steve Jobs DiesSteve Jobs Dies

The co-founder of Apple was only 56 years old.

Steve Jobs has passed away at the age of 56.

Much will be written and said about his impact on our society and the lives of so many people in it. To me, thinking about him as a person--and I never paid that much attention to the hagiography and fanboy-ism--I'm struck by two things that are evident about Jobs:

One is, of course, that it's just a damn shame for anyone to die so young, and to suffer so much before dying.

The other is that so much of what makes Steve Jobs so justly acclaimed, was accomplished on his second tour of duty with Apple, after his unceremonious dismissal the first time around. I think that speaks volumes about his resilience and belief in himself, his brainchild, and the people he sold his products to. It might have been easier for him to "move on," but he saw his destiny at Apple and pursued it.

If there's anyone like Steve Jobs in any American industry today, I can't think of who it is.