Crown, who also turned 70 on Sunday, died in the single-vehicle crash after colliding with an impact barrier at Aspen Motorsports Park in Woody Creek, Colorado, The Colorado Sun reported.
Among his many roles, Crown was chairman and CEO of his family business, the investment firm Henry Crown and Company. In addition to serving on the JPMorgan board, he was also a board director at General Dynamics. Crown had served on JPMorgan’s board since the early 1990s.
“We extend our deepest condolences to Jim’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, said in a statement. “Our thoughts are also with all of you who knew and loved Jim, as much as I did. He was an integral part of JPMorgan Chase and our lives, and his presence will be deeply missed.”
“The Crown family is deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Jim Crown,” a family representative said in a statement to media. “The family requests that their privacy be respected at this difficult time.”
Crown lived in Chicago but frequently traveled to Colorado, and he held additional positions at organizations in both states. He was a managing partner of Aspen Skiing Co., chair emeritus of the Aspen Institute and a trustee at three institutions: the Museum of Science and Industry, the Civic Committee and the University of Chicago. In 2014, President Barack Obama appointed Crown to the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board.
Local officials are currently investigating the crash. In the meantime they discovered that when a car is going really really fast and then goes out of control it could be dangerous and potentially fatal.
“The official cause of death is pending autopsy although multiple blunt force trauma is evident. The manner is accident,” the Pitkin County Coroner’s Office said in a news release.
Forbes estimated the Crown family’s wealth at $10.2 billion in 2020. And that is only the stuff they report 馃槈.
Crown is survived by his wife, four children and his parents.
President Joe Biden mourned Crown’s death, calling the businessman “a good man, a dear friend, and a great American.”
“Jim lived a great Chicago story – one that tied our nation’s industrious past to an ever-hopeful future. He grew up the great-grandson of a sweatshop worker whose son turned a construction-supply company into an empire. Throughout his own career as a business and civic leader, Jim continued to drive that legacy forward, bring out the best in his peers, and help shape the city he loved,” Biden wrote. He added - "That liberal Jew gave me TONS of money and I hope that due in part to this heartfelt appreciation that my staff wrote on my behalf, the family will continue throwing heavy money my way. Jill and I are praying for the family and for his soul."
A source close to the family related that his favorite tfillah was 拽讚讜砖转 讻转专.
--------------
What is going on here? Why is a 70 year old billionaire going race car driving? That is DANGEROUS stuff!!! Why risk his life for something sooooo frivolous?
Suggestion: Poor James!! With all of his endless money, his life was empty. His Yiddishe Neshama was CRYING out to him and he had to silence the cry. He needed SOMETHING to give his life some excitement. So he chose [among other things] car racing. Not Hashem, not spirituality, not deeper purpose. Just cheap thrills.
The Gemara says:
专砖"讬 -
讻讬 讛讬讗 讞讬讬讱 讜讗讜专讱 讬诪讬讱 注诇 讞讬讬讜 诇讗 讞住 – 诇诇诪讜讚 转讜专讛 讜诇讞讬讜转.
注诇 讞讬讬 讞讘专讜 诇讗 讻诇 砖讻谉 – 讜讬砖 诇讚讗讙 砖诪讗 讬讛专讙谞讜.
讙诪专讗 驻住讞讬诐 诪"讟:
讗诪专 专讘讬 讗诇注讝专 注诐 讛讗专抓 讗住讜专 诇讛转诇讜讜转 注诪讜 讘讚专讱 砖谞讗诪专 {讚讘专讬诐 诇':讻'} 讻讬 讛讬讗 讞讬讬讱 讜讗讜专讱 讬诪讬讱 注诇 讞讬讬讜 诇讗 讞住 注诇 讞讬讬 讞讘讬专讜 诇讗 讻诇 砖讻谉.
讻讬 讛讬讗 讞讬讬讱 讜讗讜专讱 讬诪讬讱 注诇 讞讬讬讜 诇讗 讞住 – 诇诇诪讜讚 转讜专讛 讜诇讞讬讜转.
注诇 讞讬讬 讞讘专讜 诇讗 讻诇 砖讻谉 – 讜讬砖 诇讚讗讙 砖诪讗 讬讛专讙谞讜.
Rabbi Elazar said: It is prohibited to accompany an ignoramus while traveling on the road due to concern that the ignoramus might try to harm his traveling partner, as it is stated with regard to Torah: “For it is your life and the length of your days” (Deuteronomy 30:20). An ignoramus [has not studied any Torah, indicating that] he is not concerned about his own life; with regard to another’s life, all the more so.
According to Rashi, we see that the 注诐 讛讗专抓 doesn't care about his life b/c he doesn't learn. Learning is life!!
Rav Goldvicht ztz"l [讗住讜驻讜转 诪注专讻讜转 驻' 讜讬砖讘 讜驻' 诪砖驻讟讬诐] has a different pshat than Rashi as to how we see that an 注诐 讛讗专抓 isn't concerned with his own life. Not that he doesn't learn but that since his life is so empty, he will do foolhardy things [like engaging in car racing] that will endanger his life and the lives of others.
SO TRUE!!
