Nov. 26, 2018. A sad day for cartoon fans. The creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, Stephen Hillenburg, passed away in his southern California home last Monday. Hillenburg announced in 2017 that he had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), the neurodegenerative condition more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Hillenburg is survived by his wife, Karen Hillenburg, a son, Clay; his mother, Nancy; and his brother, Bryan. SpongeBob SquarePants was of a rare caliber, being a show and franchise that bridged the generational gap successfully multiple times and appealed to a wide variety of audiences and ages. Debuting in 1999, the longevity and success of SpongeBob is beyond apparent.

“Growing up I loved being able to come home after school and watch Spongebob with my brother,” sophomore Lily Anna Schantz said.