“You’ve helped me heal and find beauty again,” writes the philanthropist, who recently told PEOPLE she is in a relationship
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Melinda French Gates just released a revealing new memoir — and it includes a mysterious shout-out at the very end.
In the acknowledgments of The Next Day, the 60-year-old philanthropist thanks her friends, family, the entire staff at the Gates Foundation (although she only mentions CEO Mark Suzman by name), her team at Pivotal — and even includes a general thank-you to all of the counselors, therapists, writers and spiritual teachers out there “for being there for people like me when we need you most.”
“Keep doing your beautiful, critically necessary work,” she writes.
Then, French Gates extends her gratitude to a specific individual whose name she doesn’t divulge.
“There’s another person I want to thank. You’ve helped me heal and find beauty again,” she writes, coyly adding, “You know who you are.”
Although it remains unclear exactly whom French Gates is talking about, she recently revealed to PEOPLE she is dating someone following her divorce from Bill Gates, although she was similarly tight-lipped when it came to naming her new partner, only noting that she is “very, very happy.”
Her rep had no additional comment on the passage from her book.
In the fall, French Gates was photographed holding hands with tech entrepreneur Philip Vaughn, 48, in New York City.
On LinkedIn, Vaughn is listed as the founder and chairman of craft beer delivery company Tavour. Prior to that, he also described himself as having worked for Microsoft between 1999 and 2008.
(French Gates also worked at the tech company, where she met Bill, but left before the birth of her first child in 1996.)
French Gates ends her new book by thanking her children — daughters Jennifer, 28, and Phoebe, 22, as well as son Rory, 25 — as well as her son-in-law, Nayel Nassar.
“No mother (or mother-in-law) has ever been prouder,” she writes. “I have learned so much from all four of you and love each of you for exactly who you are.”
Last, but not least, French Gates shares a message for her precious granddaughters: Jenn and Nayel’s daughters Leila, 2, and Mia, 5 months.
