Mother Of Uber Co-Founder Killed in Fresno Boating Accident
FRESNO (CBSLA.com/AP) — Bonnie Kalanick, the mother of Uber CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick, has died in a boating accident. Kalanick's father, Donald, was injured and is in serious condition.
The ride-hailing company says Saturday that the accident took place Friday night at Pine Flat Lake in Fresno, California. The circumstances of the accident were not confirmed.
Kalanick had Southern California connections. She and her husband Donald are from Northridge. Kalanick, 71, had previously worked at the Ventura County Star and the Los Angeles Daily News.
"She was just one of those neighborly type of people, sweet, lots of energy wherever she went, knew the neighbors, cared about the neighbors," Robert Barkley said.
Uber provided CBS2 the following statement Saturday.
"Last night Travis and his family suffered an unspeakable tragedy. His mother passed away in a devastating boating accident near Fresno and his father is in serious condition. Our thoughts and prayers are with Travis and his family in this heartbreaking time."
The couple, in their early 70s, have been longtime boaters. In a memo to Uber staff, Liane Hornsey, the chief human resources officer, called the incident an "unthinkable tragedy." She wrote that "everyone in the Uber family knows how incredibly close Travis is to his parents."
Travis Kalanick, 40, founded Uber in 2009.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)