LEGO Minfigure Creator Jens Nygaard Knudsen Has Died

Today, the LEGO community is mourning the loss of an important figure. A recent post by the [...]

By Megan Peters

Today, the LEGO community is mourning the loss of an important figure. A recent post by the company has informed fans that Jens Nygaard Knudsen, the creator of Lego Minifigures, has passed away. He was 78 years old.

The news came courtesy of The LEGO Group which released a brief post on Twitter. "We're very sad to hear that Jens Nygaard Knudsen, the creator of the LEGO Minifigure, has passed away. Thank you Jens, for your ideas, imagination, and inspiring generations of builders," the company shared.

As you can see below, the tweet shares a candid photo of Knudsen holding a LEGO kit in hand. The legend helped change the game for LEGO with his trial-and-error creation of Minifigures. Today, fans new and old collect Knudsen's Minifigures with pride as there are thousands to fit any one collection.

Speaking to PEOPLE, LEGO's Chief Marking Officer remembered Knudsen in an emotional statement. Julia Goldin stressed how loved the creator was by LEGO and how influential his work has been on the company over the years.

"Jens spent 32 years with the LEGO Group and made an impact few can match," her statement read. "He was a true visionary whose ideas brought joy and inspiration to millions of builders around the world and we thank him for helping to create some of our most loved play themes such as LEGO Castle, LEGO Space and of course, the iconic LEGO minifigure."

According to international reports, Knudsen died after a battle with ALS. The agency AFP reports the creator was in hospice care when he passed on Wednesday in Denmark. His loss has hit the LEGO community hard with fans and creators speaking about Knudsen's accomplishments. With an imagination so vibrant, Knudsen is being hailed as a true visionary who helped bring the toy industry to a whole new level.

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