Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan pledged Tuesday to give away 99 percent of their shares in the social networking giant – currently valued around $45 billion – in a letter to the couple’s newborn daughter, Max.
In the sweeping 2,000-word note posted to the site Tuesday afternoon, Zuckerberg vowed to cure diseases, champion “personalized learning,” and promote equality through the Chan Zuckerberg initiative.
“We will give 99% of our Facebook shares – currently about $45 billion – during our lives to advance this mission,” the couple wrote in the letter. “We know this is a small contribution compared to all the resources and talents of those already working on these issues. But we want to do what we can, working alongside many others.”
Zuckerberg also wrote he intends to serve as Facebook’s CEO for “many, many years to come.”
The note quickly garnered some 14,000 comments from wish wishers, including a who’s-who of media and tech heavy hitters like Sheryl Sandberg, Melinda Gates, and Arianna Huffington.
