Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of the world-famous show SpongeBob SquarePants, passed away on November 26 at the age of 57 of complications related to ALS.

Nickelodeon announced the death of their most famous creator yesterday on their official Twitter account.

“We are sad to share the new of the passing of Stephen Hillenburg,” said Nickelodeon. “Today we are observing a moment of silence to honor his life and work.”

Students at Tyrone High School were also saddened by the unexpected news, many of whom spent time yesterday recalling their fondness for the show.

“I’ve been watching SpongeBob since I was a little kid, and it always has been my favorite TV show,” said Tyrone senior Brooke Welsh.

Welsh is not alone. Many other students at Tyrone High School think fondly of SpongeBob and consider it one of their all time favorite shows.

“I lived off of SpongeBob,” said Tyrone freshman Dean Grassi. “He will be missed.”

Most fans did not even know that Hillenberg was terminally ill.  He publicly announced his ALS diagnosis in March 2018 in an interview with Variety magazine. Citing an unnamed source close to Hillenburg, Variety reported that he was in the early stages of the disease.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles. The average life expectancy of a person with ALS is two to five years. Over 50 percent of people with ALS live more than three years. Twenty percent live five years or more.

“I wanted people to hear directly from me that I have been diagnosed with ALS,” said Hillenberg in the Variety interview. “Anyone who knows me knows that I will continue to work on ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ and my other passions for as long as I am able.”

Hillenburg worked on SpongeBob for decades, stepping down from the show briefly after the release of The SpongeBob Movie but rejoining later to continue the show and help write the script for Sponge: Out of Water.

Hillenburg had a degree in marine biology, which contributed much to the design of the show, which premiered on May 1,1999.

Hillenburg has made a huge contribution to both animation and popular culture. He will leave a SpongeBob-marked imprint on the world that will be remembered by many.