Two weeks before Zappos.com Inc. co-founder Tony Hsieh died in a house fire in November, one of his closest friends in Las Vegas received a phone call.
“Tony is in trouble,” the appellant told Philip Plastina, the founder of an electronic dance music group that has performed frequently at Mr. Hsieh’s parties and live events for the past decade.
Due to the pandemic, Mr. Plastina had not seen Mr. Hsieh since the hired tech executive moved from Las Vegas to Park City, Utah, earlier this year. The appellant asked Mr. Plastina to go to Park City immediately in the hope that he could help him get Mr. Hsieh out of what the appellant described as escape tendencies, including the increase in drug and alcohol abuse.
Mr Plastina said he texted two phone numbers he had for Mr Hsieh and sent several emails but received no response. Mr. Plastina never reached his friend.
Mr Hsieh, 46, died on Nov. 27, nine days after firefighters were called to a house in New London, Connecticut, where he was residing. The Connecticut medical examiner ruled the death an accident. The fire department is investigating the cause of the fire.