“We are sad to share the news of the passing of Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants,” the network said in a tweet.
Nickelodeon announced on Tuesday that Stephen Hillenburg, the cartoonist and animator responsible for the cult character and its namesake animated series, passed away.
“I studied natural resources planning and thought I could get a job at some marine park.
“We are incredibly saddened by the news that Steve Hillenburg has passed away following a battle with ALS,” the network said.