The world is grieving after Nickelodeon confirmed today that Spongebob Squarepants creator Stephen Hillenburg has passed away at the age of 57. Hillenburg had been quietly battling ALS and is survived by his wife and son. The Rocko's Modern Life dreamed up Spongebob 20 years ago, and was shocked by the program's wild and global success. Spongebob Squarepants has been dubbed in over 60 languages, and its status as a cult show is very evident in the loud grief fans are showing on the internet. It's truly a sad day for everyone, from Spongebob fans to meme creators. Our hearts go out to Hillenburg's friends and family today.