Dave Goldberg, SurveyMonkey CEO and Husband of Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Actually Died From a Head Trauma In Mexico

SurveyMonkey CEO Dave Goldberg died from severe head trauma after falling off a treadmill while exercising at a Mexican resort, a Mexican state official said Monday.

A source familiar with the 47-year-old’s unexpected death additionally called it a “tragic accident” that occurred while he was vacationing with family at the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita near Puerto Vallarta Friday evening.

He was discovered by his brother lying next to the machine with a 1.18-inch gash to his head around 6:30 p.m., a spokesman for the local state prosecutor’s office said. It followed his family going to look for him when he didn’t return from the gym.

The beloved Silicon Valley entrepreneur, who was married to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and shared two children with her, was still alive at the time but died after taken to a hospital.

A state official speaking to the Associated Press said the cause of death was severe head trauma and hypovolemic shock, or bleeding.

The new details into Goldberg’s death came as a general manager for the resort denied claims that the CEO was a guest and argued — without elaborating — that his fatal fall was at another hotel.

Despite that contradictory claim, Goldberg’s body was flown back to the U.S. on Saturday and the prosecutors’ office said no criminal investigation is planned with there having been no signs of violence.

A memorial service has been scheduled for Tuesday at Stanford University, according to friends of the family.

“In this time of sorrow, we mourn his passing and remember what an amazing husband, father, brother, son and friend he was,” his brother, Robert Goldberg, posted on Facebook over the weekend. “No words can express the depth of loss we feel, but we want his children to learn how much he meant to all of you.”

Goldberg joined SurveyMonkey in 2009 after serving as vice president and general manager of Yahoo Music. That followed Yahoo acquiring his self-founded online music supplier, LAUNCH Media Inc., which he created in 1994.

“Dave’s genius, courage and leadership were overshadowed only by his compassion, friendship and heart,” SurveyMonkey said in a statement. “His greatest love was for his family. Our sympathy goes out to them and to all who were touched by this extraordinary man. We are all heartbroken.”

Following news of his unexpected death, tributes have poured out from some of the nation’s top media moguls, entrepreneurs and public figures. They include Chelsea Clinton, Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger, Arianna Huffington and Mark Zuckerberg.

With Goldberg’s wife being a member of Disney’s board of directors, Walt Disney Co. announced that it had moved its earnings release to Tuesday morning to allow executives to attend his funeral.

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