Simpsons Co-Creator Sam Simon Has Died

We lost one of the good ones yesterday. Sam Simon, 9-time Emmy Winner and one of the men behind the creation of The Simpsons, passed away from colon cancer at the age of 59. Simon was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer in February of 2013, and was initially given three to six months to live. He spent the last years of his life creating an amazingly charitable legacy. Many tributes to Simon poured in yesterday. Among them:

PETA President Ingrid Newkirk:

"I think Sam died with a smile on his face, knowing that elephants were on their way out of the circus, something that, together with the closure of SeaWorld, he dreamt of and talked about all the time. He said the last two years of his life, since his diagnosis, were his happiest, as he used them to help animals who had nothing, and it gave him great joy to see chimpanzees, elephants, and even a 'gay' bull find freedom from harm because he had worked with PETA to get them all out of hideous circumstances."

Mercy for Animals president Nathan Runkle:

"Sam was a heroic humanitarian whose selfless generosity and boundless courage inspired countless people around the world to be kinder to animals-and each other. His heart was as great as his sense of humor. He never missed an opportunity to speak up for those in need. Sam led by example and showed us all what bravery, kindness, and determination truly were. A more compassionate future draws ever more near because of his legacy of generosity."

Read more of the tributes here, read about his philanthropy here, and read his full obituary at The Hollywood Reporter.

Goodbye Sam. I will miss you.

A photo posted by Jennifer Tilly (@jtillathekilla2) on Mar 9, 2015 at 12:29pm PDT