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Steve Jobs takes another medical leave

Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:38 am

Damn. Here’s the text of a Media Advisory that Apple posted today:

Apple CEO Steve Jobs today sent the following email to all Apple employees:

Team,

At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company.

I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple’s day to day operations. I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011.

I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.

Steve

Any reaction to this has to begin and end with “Let’s all hope that this husband and father comes out of (whatever this is) OK.”

In fact, let’s make that the middle of this, too.

Filed under: apple.

18 Comments

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18 Responses

  1. Timely, Andy, and absolutely spot-on. This is his business, as much as we’re concerned about the larger issues.

    Impressed with the rapidity of your post! Truly the great Ihnatko news machine never sleeps…

    Kirby — January 17, 2011 @ 9:43 am —

  2. Indeed. Best to him and his family, and hope for a speedy recovery.

    Jeff Hentosz — January 17, 2011 @ 9:44 am —

  3. Well said, Andy!

    Mark Rogers — January 17, 2011 @ 9:58 am —

  4. Well done Andy. We have to remember he’s a father and husband as well as our turtlenecked leader.

    Bob — January 17, 2011 @ 10:00 am —

  5. Here’s to hoping to a speeding recovery and the best to him and his family. Well said Andy.

    David — January 17, 2011 @ 10:06 am —

  6. Well said Andy! Very quick off the mark with this one too, kudos…

    Russ — January 17, 2011 @ 10:23 am —

  7. Andy Ihnatko with the breaking news. Thanks Andy!

    Mike — January 17, 2011 @ 10:37 am —

  8. Quick post Andy, and I wish everyone in the Jobs household well.

    Shadow Fox — January 17, 2011 @ 10:41 am —

  9. Thanks, Andy. Whatever this is, I hope it gets resolved soon. My best to Steve and his family.

    KBJockey — January 17, 2011 @ 10:45 am —

  10. So say we all!

    Brian — January 17, 2011 @ 10:49 am —

  11. Its crazy news, I wondered if this would happen again. I blogged my thoughts on this as well: http://breztech.wordpress.com/2011/01/17/steve-jobs-medical-leave-again/

    Breztech — January 17, 2011 @ 10:56 am —

  12. Andy
    I have to come respect and admire Steve Jobs over the past year I was the kind of person who never considered owning a MAC hell I never even bought a PC I made them myself and now I am a little more than 13 months into this adventure and the only PC in the house is my little ones netbook.
    A truly remarkable company that was started by a remarkable group of people with Mr Jobs at the helm.
    I hope and pray with all my heart that he is ok I can only imagine the stresses running such a wildly popular and successful company can place on a person especially one who maybe wasn’t in the best of health to begin with.
    My thoughts are with you and your family Steve get better we will be here when you return!

    Thanks Andy!

    Rich — January 17, 2011 @ 11:10 am —

  13. Andy-
    Thanks for putting the story in its proper perspective. Instead of speculating on what could be wrong…and what the effect on the stock will be…the focus, at least for today, needs to be on a man and his family dealing with health issues. Thanks for covering the news with a little humanity — your post reminds me why I enjoy your work so much.

    Steve — January 17, 2011 @ 11:31 am —

  14. Andy,
    You covered the beginning, end and even the middle of our best wishes for Steve.

    Oh, one more thing…

    get well soon, SJ

    Steve Most — January 17, 2011 @ 2:37 pm —

  15. I know another wonderful family man and business owner who is, himself, just beginning a battle with stage 4 prostate cancer. For both of these families, I know our best wishes for their health and privacy are the things that count.

    Kellie D. Morgantini — January 17, 2011 @ 9:28 pm —

  16. wow, if there was ever a BS comment that deserved to be deleted, Grim Reaper took the cake.

    Followed by this one after his goes…

    EricE — February 21, 2011 @ 10:12 pm —

Continuing the Discussion

  1. [...] About a year and a half after having a over transplant due to complications from pancreatic cancer, Apple CEO Steve Jobs has taken a second medical leave of absence. [...]

    SchwarzTech » News: Steve Jobs to Take 2nd Leave of Absence — January 17, 2011 @ 11:41 am

  2. [...] Andy Ihnatko, Steve Jobs takes another medical leave, 17 jan. [...]

    Priorités | Anthony Nelzin — January 17, 2011 @ 2:36 pm