Sam Simon, a co-creator of "The Simpsons" who became known for donating his fortune to charity following his terminal cancer diagnosis, has died at 59.
The Sam Simon Foundation announced the news Monday afternoon via its Facebook page.
"It is with much sadness that we must let you know that Sam Simon has passed over," the foundation said. "We all miss him, and in his honor, we will continue bringing his vision to light through our work at The Sam Simon Foundation. We take comfort in knowing how many greetings he is receiving across that Rainbow Bridge. We love you Sam!"
Simon died Sunday evening at his home in Los Angeles' Pacific Palisades, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer in late 2012, according to Variety.
Simon's foundation trained dogs to help the disabled and war veterans, according to the New York Times, which noted that he gave generously to other charities and PETA named its headquarters the Sam Simon Center in 2013.
"I look at him kind of as the Martin Luther King for the animals," Chris DeRose, Simon's friend and the founder of Last Chance for Animals (LCA), told Headlines & Global News. "That's how he will be remembered, certainly in my eyes and in the eyes of many others."
DeRose met Simon about seven years ago. LCA, a national, nonprofit animal advocacy organization focused on investigating, exposing and ending animal exploitation, was working on closing down pet stores that were selling puppy mill dogs and convincing some stores to sell rescue dogs instead. He had heard about Simon's organization and "asked him for some support, and he allowed his moving van to go and spay and neuter our animals for free."
"I saw his generosity," DeRose said. "I met him out at his place in Malibu where he keeps those animals and also where he does training for animals. I got to really see his sense of humor and his loyalty. We stayed in touch since then. The last two or three years, since we found out what happened, we became really close."
Focusing on his work for animals was therapeutic for Simon as he faced his impending death and "gave him a purpose to know he was instrumental in saving many lives," said DeRose.
"He's probably just the greatest person I've ever met," DeRose said. "And for him to carry on almost as if nothing was happening, meanwhile, the man's body was deteriorating."
In May of 2013, Simon said on Marc Maron's "WTF" podcast that he was given three to six months to live. He also confirmed on the podcast that he would donate nearly all of the money he made from "The Simpsons."
Simon, along with Matt Groening and James L. Brooks, developed the animated series in 1989. Simon had worked on "The Tracey Ullman Show," where the Groening-drawn Simpson family first met America. Simon went on to co-write several episodes of "The Simpsons" and also served as a co-showrunner, character designer, creative consultant, creative supervisor, developer and writer. Simon left "The Simpsons" after its fourth season "in a lucrative arrangement that allowed him to spend much of the rest of his life giving his money away," according to the New York Times. As part of the agreement, he retained his executive producer title.
"We will miss Sam's phenomenal talents, sharp intelligence and sly sense of humor," Groening said in a statement, according to USA Today. "He is gone from our industry too soon."
Brooks, meanwhile, in a statement quoted by USA Today, said that Simon was "truly one of the great ones. He found so much outside the work to give him pleasure and left so much behind for others."
Simon, who won nine Emmys, also worked on the TV shows "Taxi," "Cheers," "It's Garry Shandling's Show" and the "Drew Carey Show." He most recently worked on the Charlie Sheen series "Anger Management."
Simon was married to Jennifer Tilly from 1984 to 1991 and Jami Farrell from 2000 to 2003, and he is survived by his partner Jenna Stewart, according to TV Fanatic.
