The creator of SpongeBob SquarePants had his ashes scattered at sea off the coast of California, according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ.
The document from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reveals that cartoonist Stephen Hillenberg's remains were taken off the coast of California and scattered the day after his death.
The certificate also confirms what was widely reported at the time of his death: Hillenberg's passing was a result of ALS. Hillenberg revealed in the spring of 2017 that he'd been diagnosed with what's also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. His official cause of death is cardiopulmonary failure due to ALS.
Since Hillenberg's death was announced, fans have been paying tribute by sharing the episodes that resonated with them the most or just thanking the creator for his work.
"Stephen Hillenburg created my favorite childhood series and he was at the helm of the show from 1999-2004 (ending with the movie). He’s responsible for all the classic Spongebob that gave us our wit & sense of humor," wrote one fan on Twitter.
Some fans have even petitioned the NFL to play a halftime song from the show called "Sweet Victory" at the Super Bowl. The petition currently has over 800,000 signatures.
