In an interview with the UK's Daily Mail, Bill Gates talked family, friends and global health. The world’s second-richest man was striking in his normalcy, sharing how he is teased by his kids, works too much and isn’t worried about a personal legacy.
"Legacy," he told the Dail Mail, "is a stupid thing! I don’t want a legacy. If people look and see that childhood deaths dropped from nine million a year to four million because of our investment, then wow!”
The Daily Mail acknowledge that Gates gave them the interview, published on Saturday, in order to bring more coverage to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization pledging conference held this past weekend. Monday, GAVI reported that the conference netted pledges of more than $4 billion from government and organizations such as the Gates Foundation.
Gates said his kids tease him by singing the lyrics of the song “The Billionaire” by Travie McCoy and Bruno Mars. About their futures, he said:
“They will be given an unbelievable education and that will all be paid for. And certainly anything related to health issues we will take care of. But in terms of their income, they will have to pick a job they like and go to work. They are normal kids now. They do chores, they get pocket money.”
He said while he enjoyed the recent U2 concert in Seattle, he drove his daughter and her friends in the family minivan, he wasn’t invited back stage – but, of course, Bono stayed at his home.
About more serious matters, Gates said in addition to working in Seattle on Foundation business, he makes sure to get out into the field to stay grounded in what his foundation is all about:
“It is important to see places. When you go into a ward with kids who have cholera, it’s horrific. They are losing their vital fluids and their brains are shutting down. As a father, as a human, it’s just horrific.”
For the compete interview, check out the Mailonline.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aRor905cCw
