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He had developed a severe drug addiction to ketamine and nitrous oxide. He completely lost touch with reality. Ended up killing himself in an explosion/fire tha

He had developed a severe drug addiction to ketamine and nitrous oxide. He completely lost touch with reality. Ended up killing himself in an explosion/fire that he caused himself. The reason he "retired" from Zappos was due to the aforementioned drug addiction and was not voluntary.

Overtonwindow 6y ago
The people of Silicon Valley and it’s offshoots seem to have a collective mindset of pushing the boundaries of pharmacology.
- exzappos 6y ago
  Yeah unfortunately he was surrounded by too many enablers and sycophants. Though he did have a few people who tried to get him the help he needed.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
asdf333 6y ago
those are pretty wild claims. any way you can back it up?
- smabie 6y ago
  Why do you ask this question? You know he doesn't. But that doesn't mean it is false. If his username is anything to go by, I'd say that there is probably a kernel of truth to his statement. After all, people don't just make up stories about ketamine and nitrous addictions. Especially since dying in a house fire isn't a usual route to go. It might make sense he was on ketamine and somehow a fire started (he probably didn't intentionally start a fire), and couldn't get out. It's very hard to walk straight on ketamine. You end up walking like a robot. Edit: but the real reason I believe these claims is because my gut says it is true. Not the best reason, of course. But not a bad reason either.
  - qznc 6y ago
    Sometimes people do make up stories about ketamine and nitrous addictions. This has been very disastrous for people accused of rape or witchcraft. This is why i don't like "where there is smoke, there is fire."
    - onemiketwelve 6y ago
      welp, looks like there was a raging wildfire after all
  - ponker 6y ago
    Lolwut. Please. This kind of boundless credulity, which is unfortunately quite widespread, has sent innocent people to their executions. You are ascribing a "kernel of truth" to a completely unsubstantiated claim because the comment includes specific details and because of the username of the poster, which they themselves chose and did not have to justify. There is absolutely no evidence that the claim by "exzappos" is true or false. Please don't imply anything else. > the real reason I believe these claims is because my gut says it is true. Not the best reason, of course. But not a bad reason either. Yes, a bad reason. A very bad reason.
  - Goodlead 6y ago
    It is true. A bunch of his close associates tried to have an intervention lol. He blacklisted them all and quite as CEO of zappos. He packed up and left Vegas for Park City, only invited the most simpiest of simps who wouldn't question him. Candle obsession + nitro tank = fire. But first hand accounts say it wasnt fire or smoke that killed him. Too much nitrous not enough oxygen for the brain.
- therealx 6y ago
  Best I can do is this personal story: I, for reasons unimportant to the topic, knew personally people from all walks of Tony's life. I've would have a drink with his personal cleaning lady when she was done for theday, and drank more than one with Tony himself late into the night at Kareoke in his personal Airstream park. Many of my friends worked in all departments at Zappos, as well. When the drinks were mostly finished, and the clock was past 3am, the #1 rumor would be of his drug use. At first I thought it was standard rumors due to his laid back nature and stature (and maybe confated with the fact that he smoked weed legally.) However, after an interpersonal issue, one of the people with access to his private life pulled me aside and showed me a series of photos he had taken in Tony's place prior to anyone cleaning it up. Let's just say Ketamine and Nitrous are weak comparitively to what I saw, and there was a reason he could be "on it" for 3/4 of a day and then immediatly sleep. I don't know how to say it without speaking too ill of the dead, but I think you get the idea. PPS, Google the Downtown Vegas Suicides for a true, fun, short read.
  - Goodlead 6y ago
    This is true, I don't have all the facts, but tony was obsessed with candles lately. First hand account says candles + nitrous tank caused the "fire" but it's more likely that he went too hard on the nitrous and was brain starved of oxygen, was on life support for many days braindead before his body went.
    - Goodlead 6y ago
      That being said, Tony was a great guy, and did so much for countless people. Myself included. He will be missed. His community of clingers and simps though... they are in finger pointing mode and eating themselves alive.
      - therealx 6y ago
        It's crazy people don't want to hear that this could possibly be true. HMU on my email - we might know each other :)
- fragmede 6y ago
  Jewel is pretty credible and mentions nitrous oxide by name. https://people.com/music/jewel-wrote-to-tony-hsieh-before-his-death/ https://people.com/music/jewel-wrote-to-tony-hsieh-before-hi...
- TedShiller 6y ago
  Yes: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-death-of-zappos-tony-hsieh-a-spiral-of-alcohol-drugs-and-extreme-behavior-11607264719 https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-death-of-zappos-tony-hsieh-...
nso95 6y ago
Within a few hours after his death being announced you were able to conclude he blew himself up while high on ketamine? Pretty skeptical.
- Goodlead 6y ago
  He was braindead on life support for almost a week before he died.
  - nso95 6y ago
    But that wasn't public information
    - exzappos 6y ago
      So? It goes without saying what I posted wasn't public information and that I had inside sources. It's already been confirmed by others here and it's now been reported in the press so we can put to rest the idea that I'm just making things up.
TenJack 6y ago
How would you know that he caused the fire himself?
- exzappos 6y ago
  I've been told by people with direct knowledge of the situation
filmgirlcw 6y ago
This is gross. I don’t care if this is true or not — someone is dead and people that knew that person (including many on HN) are grieving. Surely, the judgment-filled “how’s” from someone who created an account just to rip on a dead person can wait. If you’re too much of a coward to put this under your usual username or even own it under your full name, that’s a sign to me that this sort of comment doesn’t belong here.
- smabie 6y ago
  Why is it necessary to respect someone who is dead? They are dead, after all. Seems like we should probably respect people a little more when they are alive and a little less when they are dead.
  - p49k 6y ago
    In the immediate period following someone’s death, is it too much to ask not to engage in or support rumor-mongering around the cause, for the sake of the family who is likely under tremendous stress and should not have to deal with the added stress of seeing such rumors? It hurts no one to wait some months to reveal details of a person’s death; at that time, outsiders can contemplate that info. Have some empathy.
  - starfallg 6y ago
    When we talk about respecting the dead, what we really mean is respecting the people who are grieving.
  - filmgirlcw 6y ago
    It’s about respecting people who have lost someone they care about. Have some fucking humanity...
    - Goodlead 6y ago
      How about just tell the truth. Who cares if he liked drugs? Ill tell you why he died. All you motherfuckers who tried to control him, just pushed him away from the people who actually cared about him and not what they could get from him. Anyone reading this who knows what's up should have just shut the fuck up and supported him instead of trying to run his life. Just my OPINION
Shirley800 6y ago
There are ppl who are in denial of the truth as if hearing the dark side of it would constitute the disrespect. At the end of the day, truth is what matters. He was an immensely kind and accomplished and so highly loved person, but he was also a tormented soul toward the end of his life.

Overtonwindow 6y ago

The people of Silicon Valley and it’s offshoots seem to have a collective mindset of pushing the boundaries of pharmacology.

exzappos 6y ago
Yeah unfortunately he was surrounded by too many enablers and sycophants. Though he did have a few people who tried to get him the help he needed.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

asdf333 6y ago

those are pretty wild claims. any way you can back it up?

smabie 6y ago
Why do you ask this question? You know he doesn't. But that doesn't mean it is false. If his username is anything to go by, I'd say that there is probably a kernel of truth to his statement. After all, people don't just make up stories about ketamine and nitrous addictions. Especially since dying in a house fire isn't a usual route to go. It might make sense he was on ketamine and somehow a fire started (he probably didn't intentionally start a fire), and couldn't get out. It's very hard to walk straight on ketamine. You end up walking like a robot. Edit: but the real reason I believe these claims is because my gut says it is true. Not the best reason, of course. But not a bad reason either.
- qznc 6y ago
  Sometimes people do make up stories about ketamine and nitrous addictions. This has been very disastrous for people accused of rape or witchcraft. This is why i don't like "where there is smoke, there is fire."
  - onemiketwelve 6y ago
    welp, looks like there was a raging wildfire after all
- ponker 6y ago
  Lolwut. Please. This kind of boundless credulity, which is unfortunately quite widespread, has sent innocent people to their executions. You are ascribing a "kernel of truth" to a completely unsubstantiated claim because the comment includes specific details and because of the username of the poster, which they themselves chose and did not have to justify. There is absolutely no evidence that the claim by "exzappos" is true or false. Please don't imply anything else. > the real reason I believe these claims is because my gut says it is true. Not the best reason, of course. But not a bad reason either. Yes, a bad reason. A very bad reason.
- Goodlead 6y ago
  It is true. A bunch of his close associates tried to have an intervention lol. He blacklisted them all and quite as CEO of zappos. He packed up and left Vegas for Park City, only invited the most simpiest of simps who wouldn't question him. Candle obsession + nitro tank = fire. But first hand accounts say it wasnt fire or smoke that killed him. Too much nitrous not enough oxygen for the brain.
therealx 6y ago
Best I can do is this personal story: I, for reasons unimportant to the topic, knew personally people from all walks of Tony's life. I've would have a drink with his personal cleaning lady when she was done for theday, and drank more than one with Tony himself late into the night at Kareoke in his personal Airstream park. Many of my friends worked in all departments at Zappos, as well. When the drinks were mostly finished, and the clock was past 3am, the #1 rumor would be of his drug use. At first I thought it was standard rumors due to his laid back nature and stature (and maybe confated with the fact that he smoked weed legally.) However, after an interpersonal issue, one of the people with access to his private life pulled me aside and showed me a series of photos he had taken in Tony's place prior to anyone cleaning it up. Let's just say Ketamine and Nitrous are weak comparitively to what I saw, and there was a reason he could be "on it" for 3/4 of a day and then immediatly sleep. I don't know how to say it without speaking too ill of the dead, but I think you get the idea. PPS, Google the Downtown Vegas Suicides for a true, fun, short read.
- Goodlead 6y ago
  This is true, I don't have all the facts, but tony was obsessed with candles lately. First hand account says candles + nitrous tank caused the "fire" but it's more likely that he went too hard on the nitrous and was brain starved of oxygen, was on life support for many days braindead before his body went.
  - Goodlead 6y ago
    That being said, Tony was a great guy, and did so much for countless people. Myself included. He will be missed. His community of clingers and simps though... they are in finger pointing mode and eating themselves alive.
    - therealx 6y ago
      It's crazy people don't want to hear that this could possibly be true. HMU on my email - we might know each other :)
fragmede 6y ago
Jewel is pretty credible and mentions nitrous oxide by name. https://people.com/music/jewel-wrote-to-tony-hsieh-before-his-death/ https://people.com/music/jewel-wrote-to-tony-hsieh-before-hi...
TedShiller 6y ago
Yes: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-death-of-zappos-tony-hsieh-a-spiral-of-alcohol-drugs-and-extreme-behavior-11607264719 https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-death-of-zappos-tony-hsieh-...

nso95 6y ago

Within a few hours after his death being announced you were able to conclude he blew himself up while high on ketamine? Pretty skeptical.

Goodlead 6y ago
He was braindead on life support for almost a week before he died.
- nso95 6y ago
  But that wasn't public information
  - exzappos 6y ago
    So? It goes without saying what I posted wasn't public information and that I had inside sources. It's already been confirmed by others here and it's now been reported in the press so we can put to rest the idea that I'm just making things up.

TenJack 6y ago

How would you know that he caused the fire himself?

exzappos 6y ago
I've been told by people with direct knowledge of the situation

filmgirlcw 6y ago

This is gross. I don’t care if this is true or not — someone is dead and people that knew that person (including many on HN) are grieving. Surely, the judgment-filled “how’s” from someone who created an account just to rip on a dead person can wait. If you’re too much of a coward to put this under your usual username or even own it under your full name, that’s a sign to me that this sort of comment doesn’t belong here.

smabie 6y ago
Why is it necessary to respect someone who is dead? They are dead, after all. Seems like we should probably respect people a little more when they are alive and a little less when they are dead.
- p49k 6y ago
  In the immediate period following someone’s death, is it too much to ask not to engage in or support rumor-mongering around the cause, for the sake of the family who is likely under tremendous stress and should not have to deal with the added stress of seeing such rumors? It hurts no one to wait some months to reveal details of a person’s death; at that time, outsiders can contemplate that info. Have some empathy.
- starfallg 6y ago
  When we talk about respecting the dead, what we really mean is respecting the people who are grieving.
- filmgirlcw 6y ago
  It’s about respecting people who have lost someone they care about. Have some fucking humanity...
  - Goodlead 6y ago
    How about just tell the truth. Who cares if he liked drugs? Ill tell you why he died. All you motherfuckers who tried to control him, just pushed him away from the people who actually cared about him and not what they could get from him. Anyone reading this who knows what's up should have just shut the fuck up and supported him instead of trying to run his life. Just my OPINION

Shirley800 6y ago

There are ppl who are in denial of the truth as if hearing the dark side of it would constitute the disrespect. At the end of the day, truth is what matters. He was an immensely kind and accomplished and so highly loved person, but he was also a tormented soul toward the end of his life.