Sam Simon, renowned philanthropist and co-creator of The Simpsons , passed away this Sunday after a long battle with colon cancer. He was 59 years old.

TMZ broke the story, noting that Simon died in his LA home, surrounded by his family and his dog. His dog was very important to him, as he was a dedicated animal rights activist.

Simpsons showrunner Al Jean confirmed the news on Monday, noting that Simon was a "great man; I owe him everything." The Sam Simon Foundation , which provides service dogs to veterans and others in need, also released a statement to TMZ: "For those of us who knew him, his voice will forever echo in our minds; his sense of humor will continue to make us laugh; and his compassion and generosity will continue to impact our lives."In addition to The Simpsons, Simon wrote for numerous other shows, including Taxi, Cheers and The George Carlin Show.Simon was diagnosed with cancer in 2012 and had been very open about the fact that his disease was terminal. Prior to passing, Simon left his roughly $100 million fortune to his charities.

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN. You can follow @Max_Nicholson on Twitter or MaxNicholson on IGN.