Report: MN native Dave Goldberg of SurveyMonkey died in gym accident

David Goldberg, the Minnesota native who was CEO of SurveyMonkey, died of severe head trauma after falling off a treadmill in a gym at a resort in Mexico, the Associated Press reports.

Goldberg, who was 47, was staying at the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita near Puerto Vallarta with his family, including his wife Sheryl Sandberg, a top executive at Facebook.

The AP, quoting a Mexican state official, said Goldberg had gone to the gym to exercise, but hadn't returned to his room after a few hours. Goldberg's brother went to look for him, and found him lying next to a treadmill with a gash in the back of his head.

A spokesman told the New York Times it appeared Goldberg fell off the treadmill and hit his head on the machine. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he died a short time later.

Goldberg's sudden death was a shock to friends and colleagues in Silicon Valley and technology circles, as well as in Minnesota.

Tributes to him poured in on his Facebook page, Twitter and other social media, with many describing him as a humble and modest man who was generous with his time and supportive of others.

Goldberg grew up in Minneapolis and graduated from the Blake School in 1985. He went to college at Harvard, earning his degree in 1989.

Besides his wife, he is survived by two children and his mother, Paula Goldberg of Minneapolis, who is the executive director of the PACER Center in the Twin Cities, a nonprofit organization that provides support to parents of children with disabilities.

According to the Times, an invitation-only memorial service for Goldberg is planned for Tuesday at Stanford University.