Bill Gates Says Paul Allen Gave Him The Courage To Start Microsoft In A Touching Tribute

Following the death of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen at the age of 65, Bill Gates wrote a touching tribute to his late colleague and friend in the Wall Street Journal.

Allen passed away this week due to complications with his battle against non-Hodgkins lymphoma, as reported in The Inquisitr. Allen was a generous philanthropist and owner of both the Seattle Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers.

Prior to his death, Allen was among the 50 richest people alive, listed as No. 44 on Forbes‘ 2018 billionaires list. Gates was ranked No. 2, only behind Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.

Gates spends much of the time in his piece recalling fond memories of his friend, saying that he first met Allen in 7th grade and his friendship with him changed his life forever.

He recalls a time he and Allen snuck off from class to tinker with computers, a hobby that would later make the two billionaires.

“It sounds geeky, and it was, but it was also a formative experience, and I’m not sure I would have had the courage to do it without Paul,” Gates wrote.

Gates wrote about another fond memory of Allen approaching Gates in 1974 with an idea for a company that would eventually become Microsoft.

“One day he came and got me, insisting that I rush over to a nearby newsstand with him. When we arrived, he showed me the cover of the January issue of Popular Electronics. It featured a new computer called the Altair 8800, which ran on a powerful new chip. Paul looked at me and said: ‘This is happening without us!’ That moment marked the end of my college career and the beginning of our new company, Microsoft.”

Paul deserved more time in life. He would have made the most of it. I will miss him tremendously. https://t.co/npPAjGCCsc

— Bill Gates (@BillGates) October 16, 2018

Gates wrote fondly about Allen’s unique ability to explain complex concepts in much simpler terms, his talent with music and his generosity.

“His generosity was as wide-ranging as his interests. In our hometown of Seattle, Paul helped fund homeless shelters, brain research, and arts education.

“He also built the amazing Museum of Pop Culture, which houses some of his huge collection of music, science fiction, and movie memorabilia,” wrote Gates.

Gates himself is no slouch when it comes to humanitarian efforts according to Business Insider, so that ringing endorsement says a lot.

Paul Allen and Bill Gates in 2013, recreating their classic 1981 photo: pic.twitter.com/zzvmlLxDho

— Jon Erlichman (@JonErlichman) October 15, 2018

Gates concluded his tribute in Allen with a touching line, one that makes the pair’s close relationship clear and shows how heartbreaking his death was to him.

“Paul deserved more time in life. He would have made the most of it. I will miss him tremendously.”