14 DAY TRIAL // Dan Fredinburg, privacy director for the company's Google X team and the man who had taken part in so many of Google’s projects, was among the hundreds of victims of the Nepal earthquake.
Amidst the projects he had been involved in, there is also Google Adventure Team, which allowed people to explore Everest and a few other well-known summits from the comfort of their own home with just a little help from Google Maps.
He was one of the Googlers who actually climbed the mountain to deliver some of the best photographs that only Google Street View could get.
The engineer who depicted himself as an adventurer was hiking Mount Everest when an avalanche caused by the Nepal earthquake started.
His younger sister confirmed his death in an Instagram post letting everyone know that, unfortunately, he had not survived a serious head injury. His Instagram page remains a proof of his declared passion for hiking and life, in general.
Google employees expressed their grief at the unexpected loss
Lawrence You, Google’s director of privacy, took to Google Plus to express his regret at having lost a great colleague and a valuable employee, announcing at the same time that the other three Google workers who were with them are safe as they had sustained minor injuries and that they are bound to return shortly.
He also announced that Google would actively participate in the Nepal earthquake relief efforts using the Person Finder tool, as well as support the victims and their families with a considerable donation.
Dan Fredinburg had a YouTube channel which contains several videos documenting his thirst for adventure and some of his hiking experiences, as well as some of the projects he was currently working on. One of these projects is known as Save the Ice, a program meant to raise awareness of global environmental issues such as global warming.
His former girlfriend, actress Sophia Bush, also wrote an Instagram post expressing her sadness at hearing the dreadful news about the sudden death, as well as her understanding and support towards the families of the victims of the earthquake.