Sam Simon, one of the co-creators of The Simpsons, has died.
His foundation, the Sam Simon Foundation, confirmed the news on Facebook on Monday. “It is with much sadness that we must let you know that Sam Simon has passed over,” the announcement read.
Simon, 59, was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer in 2012, and told he had only three to six months left to live. He survived that diagnosis, and in 2014, he said he was planning to donate $100 million of his fortune to charity, mostly to animal organizations. “I think that my passion for the animals and against animal abuse is based on the knowledge that these creatures who feel and think can’t speak for themselves and they’re dependent on us for that,” he said in an interview last year.
Elsewhere during the interview, Simon said he was able to stay positive despite his diagnosis.
“Somehow, I ended up surrounded by people that love me and take care of me and will do anything for me,” he said. “It’s a good feeling. That’s called happiness.”
Simon, a graduate of Stanford University, had nine primetime Emmys to his name. One was for his work on The Tracey Ullman Show, where fellow Simpsons co-creators Matt Groening and James L. Brooks also worked; the other awards were for The Simpsons.
Simon left the show in 1993, just four years after it debuted on Fox, but remained in the credits as an executive producer and continued to earn money from the show thanks to home video sales deal, according to The Hollywood Reporter. After realizing he was financially set for life a few years later, Simon largely retired from the entertainment business while only in his 30s.
The show’s showrunner, Al Jean, paid tribute to his late colleague on Twitter:
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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