One of the world’s most famous and greatest physicists, Stephen Hawking died early Wednesday, March 13 morning in his England home. Hawking  was diagnosed with a rare disease at the age of 22 that left him in a wheel chair and took away most of his ability to speak. Despite this, Hawking went on to live a lengthy life, passing away at the age of 76.

“We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today. He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years,” Hawking’s family said in a statement released Wednesday.

Hawking was best known for his work on black holes. In 1976, Hawking discovered that a black hole emits energy and starts losing mass when it forms. Before this, it was believed that black holes were just empty regions in space that vacuumed everything around it.

The physicist eventually found himself being featured in shows like The Simpsons and The Big Bang Theory. Hawking had become one of the most popular scientists of this generation.

Another one of the most famous scientists of this generation, Neil deGrasse Tyson posted an image of himself and Hawking on Twitter in remembrance.

“His passing has left an intellectual vacuum in his wake. But it’s not empty,” deGrasse Tyson’s said in the Instagram post. “Think of it as a kind of vacuum energy permeating the fabric of spacetime that defies measure. Stephen Hawking, RIP 1942-2018.”

Fellow star-gazers, NASA also tweeted out a message in the wake of Hawking’s passing.

“Remembering Stephen Hawking, a renowned physicist and ambassador of science. His theories unlocked a universe of possibilities that we & the world are exploring. May you keep flying like superman in microgravity, as you said to astronauts on @Space_Station in 2014.”

Hawking lives on through his wife, his two sons and his contributions as a physicist and human being to the world.

“His courage and persistence with his brilliance and humor inspired people across the world,” Hawking’s family said in a statement.

“He once said, ‘It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love.’ We will miss him forever.”