The creator of the beloved educational electronic toy company LeapFrog has d!ed by physician-assisted su!cide, according to a report.
Mike Wood, 72, decided to end his life on April 10 after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and did not want the disease to progress further, his brother told the New York Times.
A doctor with the nonprofit organization Dignitas in Switzerland performed the procedure as the entrepreneur was surrounded by his family in Zürich — a city about 80 miles from the capital, Bern.
“We are saddened by the loss of LeapFrog founder, Mike Wood. He was an innovative leader whose passion to find a new way to help his child learn led to something remarkable,” LeapFrog Enterprises wrote in a statement on Instagram.
“His passion was transformed into a company that has helped millions of children learn to read, and so much more. We loved working with Mike and are honored to continue what he started.“
Under Swiss law, assisted su!cide is only considered a crime if the motive is selfish — meaning it can’t be performed for scenarios like financial gain through inheritance. Assisting someone to k!ll themselves unlawfully can be punishable by up to five years in jail.
