Sheryl Sandberg has paid a loving tribute to her best friend and husband, Dave Goldberg, after his shock death on the weekend.
In a moving post on Facebook on the day of his funeral, Sheryl spoke of feeling “completely and utterly loved” and supported by Dave.
Theirs was, she said, a true partnership.
Sheryl is the author of the feminist manifesto, Lean In, and the most powerful woman at Facebook. Dave was CEO of SurveyMonkey. Together, they were a Silicon Valley power couple, determined to change the world for women.
Dave was only 47 when he died after falling from a treadmill in the gym, while on vacation in Mexico. He suffered head trauma. The couple have two children.
In her tribute, Sheryl says that she was married to Dave for just 11 years, but even if she’d known, 11 years ago, how soon it would end, “I would still have walked down that aisle.”
“Dave and I did not get nearly enough time together. But as heartbroken as I am today, I am equally grateful,” she wrote. “Even in these last few days of completely unexpected hell – the darkest and saddest moments of my life – I know how lucky I have been.”
She credits her husband for allowing her to feel “completely supported” as she climbed the highest rungs of the career ladder, while raising their children in a 50-50 partnership.
The first person to ‘like’ the post on Facebook was founder, Mark Zuckerberg.
In its entirety, the post reads:
I want to thank all of our friends and family for the outpouring of love over the past few days. It has been extraordinary – and each story you have shared will help keep Dave alive in our hearts and memories.
I met Dave nearly 20 years ago when I first moved to LA. He became my best friend. He showed me the internet for the first time, planned fun outings, took me to temple for the Jewish holidays, introduced me to much cooler music than I had ever heard.
We had 11 truly joyful years of the deepest love, happiest marriage, and truest partnership that I could imagine… He gave me the experience of being deeply understood, truly supported and completely and utterly loved – and I will carry that with me always. Most importantly, he gave me the two most amazing children in the world.
Dave was my rock. When I got upset, he stayed calm. When I was worried, he said it would be ok. When I wasn’t sure what to do, he figured it out. He was completely dedicated to his children in every way – and their strength these past few days is the best sign I could have that Dave is still here with us in spirit.
Dave and I did not get nearly enough time together. But as heartbroken as I am today, I am equally grateful. Even in these last few days of completely unexpected hell – the darkest and saddest moments of my life – I know how lucky I have been. If the day I walked down that aisle with Dave someone had told me that this would happen – that he would be taken from us all in just 11 years – I would still have walked down that aisle. Because 11 years of being Dave Goldberg’s wife, and 10 years of being a parent with him is perhaps more luck and more happiness than I could have ever imagined. I am grateful for every minute we had.
As we put the love of my life to rest today, we buried only his body. His spirit, his soul, his amazing ability to give is still with it. It lives on in the stories people are sharing of how he touched their lives, in the love that is visible in the eyes of our family and friends, in the spirit and resilience of our children. Things will never be the same – but the world is better for the years my beloved husband lived.
