MICROSOFT CO-FOUNDER, PAUL ALLEN, DIES FROM CANCER AT 65

Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, has passed away at the age of 65, his company, Vulcan, has confirmed.

The news comes only a week after Allen revealed that his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cancer had returned, an illness he was treated for nearly a decade ago. Allen died on Monday afternoon from complications related to the illness.

Paul Allen who co-founded Microsoft and owned the Seattle Seahawks, among many other things, was treated for this form of cancer, in 2009. In a tweet, on October 1, Allen revealed that the illness had returned, expressing optimism about his prognosis.

Allen’s sister Jody Allen released the following statement on his passing:

"My brother was a remarkable individual on every level. While most knew Paul Allen as a technologist and philanthropist, for us he was a much-loved brother and uncle, and an exceptional friend.

Paul’s family and friends were blessed to experience his wit, warmth, his generosity and deep concern. For all the demands on his schedule, there was always time for family and friends. At this time of loss and grief for us – and so many others – we are profoundly grateful for the care and concern he demonstrated every day."

Like Bill Gates, Allen was a dedicated philanthropist, giving away more than $1.5 billion in his lifetime and pledging to donate more than half his wealth to charity. Through various vehicles, Allen focused his giving on brain science, motivated by the loss of his mother to Alzheimer's disease, along with universities and libraries.