SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg has died at the age of 57.

　　海绵宝宝的创作者史蒂芬.海伦伯格去世，享年57岁。

　　The news was confirmed by Nickelodeon, which has broadcast the hugely popular cartoon series since 1999.

　　这一消息得到了尼克频道的证实，该频道自1999年以来一直在播出这部广受欢迎的卡通连续剧。

　　In a statement, the company said Hillenburg’s cause of death was motor neurone disease (also known as ALS) - a condition he revealed he had been diagnosed with in March last year.

　　尼克频道公司在一份声明中表示，史蒂芬.海伦伯格的死因是运动神经细胞病(也称肌萎缩侧索硬化症)，他曾透露自己在去年3月就被诊断患有这种疾病。

　　As well as creating the character, Hillenburg also directed 2004’s The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.

　　在塑造角色的同时，史蒂芬.海伦伯格还执导了2004年的“海绵宝宝”电影。

　　We are sad to share the news of the passing of Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, Nickelodeon tweeted from its official account.

　　尼克频道在其官方账户上发推文称：“我们很遗憾地宣布海绵宝宝的创作者史蒂芬.海伦伯格去世。”

　　Today, we are observing a moment of silence to honour his life and work.

　　“今天，我们为纪念史蒂芬.海伦伯格的去世和以往他做出的贡献而默哀。”

　　The company’s statement added: "Steve imbued ’SpongeBob SquarePants’ with a unique sense of humour and innocence that has brought joy to generations of kids and families everywhere.

　　尼克频道公司的声明还说：“史蒂芬.海伦伯格给‘海绵宝宝’注入了一种独特的幽默感和纯真感，为多个国度、几代孩子和家庭带来了欢乐。

　　His utterly original characters and the world of Bikini Bottom will long stand as a reminder of the value of optimism, friendship and the limitless power of imagination.

　　“片中由他创作的角色和描绘的比奇堡世界将长期提醒人们乐观、友谊和无限想象力的价值。”

　　Following the news of Hillenburg’s death, SpongeBob fans began posting tributes on social media, thanking him for his creation, which "enriched lives" and "stirred up laughter for years to come".

　　在史蒂芬.海伦伯格去世的消息传出后，海绵宝宝的粉丝们开始在社交媒体上发表悼词，感谢他的创作，称他的创作不仅“丰富了人们的生活”，并且还会在未来的岁月里继续带给大家欢乐。