Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s wife, Priscilla Chan, has revealed that her first encounter with Mark Zuckerberg happened while waiting in line for a bathroom at Harvard. The couple first met at a Harvard party, with that bathroom line encounter marking the beginning of their relationship. She also described their early relationship as an “experiment” due to concerns about his academic standing at the time. Speaking on The Wall Street Journal’s The Job Interview show, Chan said she did not immediately know Zuckerberg was the one. “I was very concerned. All these people are trying to get into Harvard, and this kid was about to get kicked out of Harvard. That’s a big red flag rather than a flutter,” she said.Chan explained that marrying Zuckerberg was one of her most important decisions, crediting him for bringing out “a braver version of myself.” She added, “He is always cheering me on, believes in me.” However, Chan emphasised that there was no fairy-tale moment in their relationship. “I think it works because we work hard to show up for each other,” she added.

What Prisicilla Chan said about the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) is focusing on developing virtual cell models, including a virtual immune system, to study how the body responds to disease. The project uses large datasets, language models, and AI, with the results and tools made freely available for scientists to identify diseases at the cellular level and develop personalised treatments.Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan pledged 99% of their Meta shares, valued at $45 billion at the time, to this effort. For Chan, the work is personal as she recalls wanting more precise treatments for serious illnesses during her time as a doctor. She credits Zuckerberg’s ambition for driving CZI’s vision but acknowledges the risks involved. “If we miss, we’ve done something totally awesome, rather than underselling what is possible,” she says.Chan describes the mission as ambitious but guided by optimism, comparing it to the adventurous spirit of The Amazing Race. “I love feel-good shows,” she says. “I want to feel good about the world.”