Caroll Spinney, the "Sesame Street" puppeteer behind big bird and Oscar The Grouch is has died

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Carroll Spinney, the man behind Sesame Street characters Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch for nearly 50 years, has died. He died at the age of 85 on Sunday.

Spinney died in his home in Connecticut, and had been living with dystonia, a disorder that causes a person's muscles to contract uncontrollably, a Sesame Workshop statement announced on Sunday.

"Since 1969, Caroll's kind and loving view of the world helped shape and define Sesame Street," the nonprofit organization behind the beloved children's show said. "His enormous talent and outsized heart were perfectly suited to playing the larger-than-life yellow bird who brought joy to countless fans of all ages around the world, and his lovably cantankerous grouch gave us all permission to be cranky once in a while."

"Sesame Street is proud to carry his legacy — and his beloved characters — into the future. Our hearts go out to his beloved wife, Debra, and all of his children and grandchildren. We miss him dearly."