Stephen Hillenburg, creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, announced he has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the neurodegenerative disease more commonly known as ALS. The 56-year-old animator shared the news in a statement to Variety, explaining that he will continue working on the show.
“I wanted people to hear directly from me that I have been diagnosed with ALS.,” Hillenburg states. “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. My family and I are grateful for the outpouring of love and support. We ask that our sincere request for privacy be honored during this time.”