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.
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.
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.
https://people.com/music/jewel-wrote-to-tony-hsieh-before-hi...
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.
It is important that the public sees how many lives are destroyed by domestic abuse, suicides, addiction, and other social ills. And I fear that not talking about those details out of respect / privacy may do more harm than good.
If it is factual, I agree, have the discussion about addiction. But is it too much to ask to either have the conversation openly (and not in an anonymous comment full of judgment and borderline glee that a person is dead), and not in gossip-laden comments hours after the guy is dead? It’s gross and people defending unnamed gossip from a green rando is infuriating.