the founder of the well-known educational toy company LeapFrog, has passed away by physician-assisted suicide after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease, according to reports.
Wood, 72, made the decision to end his life on April 10 after his diagnosis, as he did not want to endure the further progression of the illness.
His brother shared with the New York Times that the procedure was carried out by a doctor from the nonprofit Dignitas in Switzerland, with Wood surrounded by his family in Zürich.
LeapFrog Enterprises expressed their sorrow in a statement on Instagram: “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.
“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.”
In Switzerland, physician-assisted suicide is legal under specific conditions, with laws allowing it as long as the motive is not selfish, such as for financial gain. Assisting someone in ending their life for unlawful reasons can result in up to five years in prison.
