The creator of SpongeBob SquarePants has died at the age of 57.
Stephen Hillenburg announced he'd been diagnosed with motor neurone disease in March last year.
He passed away yesterday.
SpongeBob SquarePants aired on Nickelodeon for the first time in 1999.
The tv network has expressed it's condolences on twitter:
💛 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
