We’re sad to report that Stephen Hillenburg, creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, died on Monday at age 57 following a battle with ALS.
The former marine biologist revealed he had been diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease last March, saying in a statement that he would keep working on the beloved Nickelodeon series for as long as he was able to.
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Hillenburg’s official cause of death was listed as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, AKA Lou Gehrig’s disease, which causes the death of neurons that control voluntary muscles.
After years of working in marine biology, Hillenburg studied animation and, in 1993, began his career at Nickelodeon as a director and writer on Rocko’s Modern Life. He went on to merge his love of marine life and animation by gifting the world SpongeBob, which became a cultural phenomenon after it hit airwaves in 1999.
Needless to say, fans are absolutely gutted by this news. Thousands took to social media to pay tribute to the artist and the legacy he left behind, with many sharing their favorite scenes from the series that shaped a generation.
See some of the most bittersweet, heartbreaking posts (below).
R.I.P., Captain.
[Image via Ivan Nickolov/WENN/Nickelodeon/YouTube.]