The last words of a person often hold significant meaning, especially when they are as enigmatic as those reportedly spoken by Steve Jobs before his passing.
For the past 15 years, many have attempted to decipher the significance of the alleged final words of Apple’s co-founder. However, it appears that this creative moment was meant solely for Jobs himself.
Born in 1955 in San Francisco, Steve Jobs was renowned for his technological genius, bringing the Macintosh into homes in 1984, and his interest in philosophy and Zen Buddhism.
His foresight regarding the interaction between humans and technology is reflected in today’s world. The launch of the iPhone in 2007 revolutionized communication, which might be why many seek profound meaning in his last words.
Steve Jobs’ sister, Mona Simpson, provided a eulogy later published in the New York Times, revealing that his final words were simply, “Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.”
Jobs uttered these words after an eight-year battle with a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, a rare form of pancreatic cancer known for its slow progression.
By October 2011, just weeks after stepping down as CEO and having pursued both conventional and alternative treatments, Jobs passed away due to respiratory arrest, leaving behind those mysterious words.
One Reddit user expressed curiosity, stating, “I so badly want to know what he saw. But I find comfort in he seems to have seen something.”
Another user questioned whether the words expressed happiness, pondering if it was more of a recognition of death’s finality. Simpson addressed this notion in 2011.
In her eulogy, Simpson described his tone as affectionate and loving, akin to someone ready for a journey but sorry to leave.
Surrounded by family at his Palo Alto home, Jobs was silent upon Simpson’s arrival, yet he gazed into his children’s eyes, seemingly unable to look away.
Although he survived the night, Jobs began to fade the following day. Simpson recounted his breathing as indicative of a challenging journey, as if he were climbing a steep path.
She further noted his work ethic and wonderment, saying, “Steve’s final words, hours earlier, were monosyllables, repeated three times.”
Before departing, Jobs looked at his sister Patty, then his children, his life partner Laurene, and finally past them.
The mystery of what he saw, prompting his exclamation of ‘oh wow’, remains with the visionary innovator.