Former marine biology teacher and creator of “SpongeBob SquarePants”, Stephen Hillenburg, died in his home on November 26, 2018, devastating children and young adults across the world.

Hillenburg had been struggling with Lou Gehrig’s disease, a neurodegenerative condition, for about a year prior to his death. The program airing the show since 1999, Nickelodeon, announced his death last week.

“Steve imbued ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ with a unique sense of humor and innocence that has brought joy to generations of kids and families everywhere,” Nickelodeon expressed in its statement. For over a decade, SpongeBob SquarePants had instilled wonder and excitement in its viewers, and Hillenburg’s creativity never seemed to fail.

While many are heartbroken over the death of Stephen Hillenburg, “SpongeBob Squarepants” will live forever as a childhood favorite in the eyes of many.