"How high is he gonna go?""All the way, Patrick. Up to the great beyond! Goodbye, friend!""Happy trails!"

It took me a bit longer than I would've liked, but I finally finished my tribute to Stephen Hillenburg. There isn't much I can say that hasn't already been said, and even then there aren't enough words that can fully describe just how much these characters and this world he created mean to me personally.
It's still pretty surreal to think that he's gone, and there's a small part of me that's expecting it to somehow not be true. When I first heard about the ALS diagnosis last year, I was optimistic that he'd at least somehow live long enough to see the third movie, and maybe even see the show get its final, proper send-off. I'm not alone in saying that I grew up with this show. SpongeBob has kinda just... always been there for as long I can remember. It premiered just a few weeks before my second birthday, and one of my earliest memories was a scene from the show (although for the life of me I don't remember which episode it was. If I had to guess maaaaaybe it was Wet Painters?). My childhood got pretty wild at times between bullying and constant family problems, but no matter how bad things got SpongeBob was always there to cheer me up without fail. Seeing what crazy antics SpongeBob and his friends were getting up to that day helped give me the escape I needed and always left me feeling better. As a kid, I looked at SpongeBob as a sort of role model and always tried to be as optimistic as him. It didn't always work, but hey, it's the thought that counts, right?
I attribute my love for cartoons/animation somewhat to this show, and I can say without a doubt that I wouldn't be the person I am today without SpongeBob. Throughout the years my interests and fandoms have constantly shifted, but SpongeBob is the one thing that's always managed to stick around no matter what (Even after that time I went through the "hating SpongeBob is cool" phase). Whatever comes next, Stephen's unique humor, unforgettable characters and the love and passion he put into his work will continue to live on and inspire and entertain children and adults alike for generations to come. I'll forever be grateful to Stephen Hillenburg for showing me that growing up doesn't mean you have to grow up, that any day can be the best day ever, to never give up in the face of failure, and to always follow your passions no matter what others may think. I wish I could've gotten a chance to say something like this in person but now's a good a time as ever I suppose: Thank you, Stephen, for making the world a little brighter. Thank you for all the laughter and fun over the years.

Thank you for giving me my childhood.

Rest in peace, captain. This kitchen won't be the same without you.

"He's on the other side now.""Yeah... he's in a better place."

SpongeBob SquarePants belongs to Nickelodeon/Stephen Hillenburg

Nov 30, 2018