Bikini Bottom mourns as the creator of the beloved Nickelodeon animated series succumbs to ALS.
Squidward Tentacles and SpongeBob SquarePants at the Krusty Krab in Season 9, Episode 11, “Spongebob, You're Fired!”
Sadness reigns in Bikini Bottom. Stephen Hillenburg, creator of the beloved Nickelodeon animated series SpongeBob SquarePants, died on Monday, Variety reports. He was 57.
The cause of death was the rare terminal illness amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, which affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Hillenburg disclosed he had been diagnosed with ALS approximately a year-and-a-half ago, while still in the early stages of the disease. At the time, he said he would continue to work on SpongeBob SquarePants “for as long as I am able,” adding, “My family and I are grateful for the outpouring of love and support. We ask that our sincere request for privacy be honored during this time.”
Stephen Hillenburg at the 2015 premiere of ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.’
“We are incredibly saddened by the news that Steve Hillenburg has passed away following a battle with ALS,” Nickelodeon said in a statement. “He was a beloved friend and long-time creative partner to everyone at Nickelodeon, and our hearts go out to his entire family. Steve imbued SpongeBob SquarePants with a unique sense of humor and innocence that has brought joy to generations of kids and families everywhere. His utterly original characters and the world of Bikini Bottom will long stand as a reminder of the value of optimism, friendship and the limitless power of imagination.”
SpongeBob SquarePants was first conceived as a way to keep students engaged at the Orange County Marine Institute in Dana Point, where Hillenburg landed his first job out of college as a marine biology educator. The iconic sponge made his debut as the star of “The Intertidal Zone,” a comic book Hillenburg wrote and drew as a science lesson.
On Tuesday, Nickelodeon asked fans to take a moment of silence in Hillenburg’s memory on its Twitter account:
We are sad to share the news of the passing of Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants. Today, we are observing a moment of silence to honor his life and work.
— Nickelodeon (@Nickelodeon) November 27, 2018
Rest In Peace, Stephen Hillenburg.
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
