Chances are, you love the products that Apple makes. You know that the company’s co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs resigned about four days back. Many of us appreciate Apple and endear Steve Jobs for what the company is today without knowing the actual past of the company and its co-founder. The real father of Steve Jobs says that he’d like the former Apple CEO to establish contact between the two.
Regardless of Steve Jobs being perhaps the most innovative person of our time, not a lot of you know that he wasn’t raised by his actual parents. After birth, Steve Jobs who obviously didn’t even have this name back then, was put up for adoption on the premise that the parents who would adopt him would send him to college. Paul and Clara Jobs agreed to the condition set by Joanne Simpson who is Steve Jobs’ biological mother. Soon after Steve Jobs had finished high school, he was sent to Reed College from where he dropped out of after only one semester to found Apple with partners Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne, the rest as they say, is history.
However, Steve and his real father Abdulfattah John Jandali have never met. Steve was an infant when he was adopted and obviously had no memory of his real father. Apart from the fact that Jandali is happy for his son’s success, he does not want to be the first one in establishing contact primarily because he doesn’t want Steve to think that he’s after his fortune. Steve Jobs owns a considerable amount of Apple stock amongst various other investments including but not limited to Pixar. Jandali says that he regrets not being a part of the ride to Steve’s success. He also adds that if it were up for him, he would have never given the baby up for adoption but due to the fact that his girlfriend at that time, also Steve’s mother, went up to San Francisco to have the baby and he wasn’t there to voice his choice.
Jandali seems to be genuinely concerned about Steve Jobs’ health. He himself being of almost 80 years now wishes that time doesn’t run out for the both of them. Steve has been battling with cancer for over 6 years and he is seriously considered about his son’s health. He believes that he will be a very happy man if Steve reaches out for a rendezvous with him, if only over one cup of coffee.
One would think that after Steve resigned as CEO of Apple, he will have a lot of free time on his hands. While he still stays on the company as Chairman Board of Directors, questions are already being raised on the state of his health. Although obviously it is entirely going to be his decision whether or not he’d like to reach out and talk to his biological father who claims that the Syrian pride in him hold him back from being the first one to contact the other.
Even if they do meet, its unlikely that it would be make a public affair and the press would be told about it. What do you think, should Steve Jobs contact Abdulfattah John Jandali?
the use of real instead of biological is really dramatic and almost underhanded.
I was adopted at three days old. My real father is Sumner Starrfield, not the man who inseminated my biological mother. Steve Jobs’ real father would, by everything I’ve read, be Paul Jobs. Your characterization of “real father” is ridiculous, or callous, or simply plain wrong.
Contact. What is there to lose, I’m a dad – the bond is cosmic and karmic and undeniably more powerful than the sun – to make my point, if some cosmic force pushed the earth away, would ever go back to seek the sun? Yet we, the diminutive little creatures we are, we always seek out our sons. Let the bad things roll off your back and reach out. Peace
It’s neither his “real” nor his “actual” father – merely his “biological” father. So what?
“The real father of Steve Jobs….”
“…he wasn’t raised by his actual parents”
I find this language insulting. The parents who raised Steve Jobs were actual and real enough.
“biological mother”
Good. Or “birthmother”.
“He also adds that if it were up for him, he would have never given the baby up for adoption but due to the fact that his girlfriend at that time, also Steve’s mother, went up to San Francisco to have the baby and he wasn’t there to voice his choice.”
Perhaps, but unless there is a record of Mr. Jandali taking the minimum step of filing to establish paternity in order to block the adoption, this seems unconvincing.
Not a chance. This guy was a sperm donor. Full stop.
““The real father of Steve Jobs….”
“…he wasn’t raised by his actual parents”
I find this language insulting. The parents who raised Steve Jobs were actual and real enough.
”
AMEN!!! I am one of the “unreal” Fathers Been with my baby girl since she was 6months.
I would be pissed if someone told me i wasnt her dad.
Adoption is a deeply personal thing. I don’t judge Steve’s biological father for wanting to meet his son, but I also don’t put it past anyone to try to get their hands on a wealthy person’s money. Ultimately, none of us will ever know the real motivation here, and it’s not our place to suggest that we do.
I do, however, feel that this story itself is callous towards both Steve and his biological father. I understand reporting the facts, but asking for a straw poll just takes it too far. It doesn’t matter what I, or anyone else thinks about this issue. This is their issue. Let’s keep our opinions out of it.
Steve has said that Paul Jobs is his father.
This is Steve Jobs. If he had wanted to meet his biological father it would have happened many years ago. Steve Jobs contemplates these things and comes to a decision. I read that he did meet his birth mother. Knowing that Steve has somewhat of a ‘mercurial’ temperament, I have an idea of what that meeting may have been like. It is entirely possible that she left that conversation without a broad smile on her lips.
Agreed!
Here’s a clue. Your NOT the childs father. Your no more than a surrogate, a replacement, a self righteous indignatn person who thinks only he is a father merely because he was there doing the job HE wanted to do. Does the fact you are there to wipe your wifes tears away, look after her or buy her things and support her make you her father ?, NO of course not. Its about biology no matter what the politcialy correct crowd would otherwise have you think or believe.
Yes, I was adopted. Where they bad ?, no, did I hate them, no, was I ungratefull for what they did, nope. But they were merely convenient replacements for my real parents, the ones who provided the egg and the sperm.
Steve will do what he chooses to do, and like all little boys in pain, when the end comes will cry for his mummy and daddy or for god in the pain he may end up in at the end of his days.
What a horribly acrimonious crowd we have had here. What a sham. Why must we choose so violently in our hearts over the people that love us. It’s just hateful and petty. I’m no bleeding heart but it seems to me that the titles are less relevant to define than what is better than what is worse. Here’s my story and I’m sticking to it: there is nothing wrong with honoring the people who raised you and loved you in any way you chose to, and if you chose that this involves the exclusion of your biological parents so be it, but if you chose to see that both have their role, or ‘influence’ and let things be what they are then that is what I agree with. Nothing wrong with getting to know one’s biological parents if one choses to do so, and nothing wrong with honoring both and having a little humility in the face of the colossal and ultimate facts we all face; life and then death, and the people who influenced our origin the most, our caretakers, our parents. Honor thy father and mother. All six of them if necessary; humility is superior to pride!
Obviously the author of this piece uses the word “obviously” far to often.
Here are the questions that arise in my mind..
If so mr Jandali was interested in meeting his pro creation, why did he not take the step to try to find Steve Jobs before Steve tried to find him.
one: could it be because he thought that it could have turn out that child he gave up for adoption was a failure and since he is somewhat well off he would have to look after him.
Two :did the above question arise in Steve Jobs mind? and if it did should Steve Jobs feel any responsibility for meeting mr Jandali?
Three: what do we make of this? I, a father now, did not have my father in my life and I do not make much effort in contacting him…Its a personal choice..
but so will my daughter have her own if I decide to walk out of her life.