Conversation so far:
Is Stephen Hillenburg married?
Hillenburg's wife, Karen.
What does she do?
a chef who teaches at the New School of Cooking in Culver City, California.
Do they have children?
He would jam with his son who is a drummer.
What did he do with his free time?
He also enjoys birdwatching at home.
anything else?
known for his private nature.
Did he stick to himself mostly?
He doesn't want people to know about his life or family.
Any references to spongebob in the article?
after his diagnosis, in which he affirmed that he would continue to work on SpongeBob SquarePants.
what was he diagnosed with?
he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS.

Question: Did he recover?
Self-contained rewrite: Did Stephen Hillenburg recover from ALS?