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Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen has died at age 65, according to his family and Vulcan, Inc, Allen's holding company.
He died of complications from non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system.
Allen, a Seattle native, made his $20 billion fortune from Microsoft, the company he co-founded Microsoft with his school friend, Bill Gates.
After an early brush with cancer, Allen left Microsoft in 1983 to pursue a wide variety of interests, including the Trail Blazers (which he bought in 1988) the and the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. Allen also invested in a variety of technology ventures, as well as pursuing passions for finding shipwrecks and exploring outer space.
Allen announced on Oct. 1 that he was fighting his third battle with cancer (he'd had a second occurrence in 2009). There was no indication at that time his condition was immediately life-threatening, so today's news comes as a surprise.
Allen's sister, Jody, released a statement upon her brother's death.
"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," she said.
"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."