Innovative Google executive, Dan Fredinburg, was killed in the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked Nepal on Saturday.
The 33-year-old native of San Francisco was struck in the head during an avalanche at the base of Mt. Everest. According to the Associated Press over 2,500 lives have been lost—at least ten of which were climbers and their guides–as a result of the earthquake.
SiliconValley.com reported that part of Fredinburg’s role with Google was to take 360 degree panoramic photos of their climbs, using fish eyed cameras, and then post the photos on Google Street View. The adventurer filmed some of the tallest peaks in the world– Aconcagua in Argentina, Elbrus in Russia , Kilimanjaro in Africa and the Everest South Base Camp in Nepal—so that millions of Google users could view them.
“We really fancy ourselves as modern-day cartographers,” Fredinburg remarked in a 2013 interview. “We know that we’re really fortunate that Google fosters a culture that encourages employees to pursue personal interests and find ways to incorporate that into our jobs.”
Fredinburg was instrumental in the development of Google glass; Google Loon, a scheme to use balloons to bring the Internet to underserved countries, and Google’s self-driving car. Moreover, the creative executive founded Google Adventure, which brought Google’s street view to far away locations like the Barrier Reef of Australia and Mt. Everest.
Social media dedicated several tributes to Fredinburg including Instagram where his sister posted:
I regret to inform all who loved him that during the avalanche on Everest early this morning our Dan suffered from a major head injury and didn’t make it. We appreciate all of the love that has been sent our way thus far and know his soul and his spirit will live on in so many of us. All our love and thanks to those who shared this life with our favorite hilarious strong willed man. He was and is everything to us. Thank you.