John Henson, one of the sons of the late Jim Henson, who had created an empire with his puppet creations The Muppets, died of a heart attack on Friday. He was 48 years old. A rep from The Jim Henson Company confirmed the news on Facebook on Saturday, stating that Henson was at his home in Saugerties, NY, with his daughter at the time of his death.

Henson had been full-fledged involved with his father’s creations; he was a puppeteer for the Muppets and had performed as Sweetums the Ogre in several Muppet-themed films, including Muppet Treasure Island and The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz. He was also a shareholder and board member of The Jim Henson Company.

The suddenness of John Henson’s passing, much in a way like his father’s had been and who also died relatively young at the age of 53 in 1990 from complications in his lungs, puts a dark cloud and a heavy sadness over Muppet fans around the world.

Henson is survived by his wife, his two daughters, three sisters, and a brother.

RIP – John Henson
April 25, 1965 – February 14, 2014

[Source: Henson Company via US]