American playwright, actor, author, screenwriter and director Sam Shepard has died, aged 73.

His family released a statement yesterday, confirming the legendary author died on Thursday in his Kentucky home. He had been suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

For more than half a century Shepard worked behind the scenes and on camera, bringing us joy and tears with beautiful stories of love and family and history.

Sam Shepard attends on January 18, 2014, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Getty Images)

In 1979, Shepard won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his playBuried Child,about a family struggling with the harsh reality that was the "Great American Dream" during the 1970s rural economic slowdown.

In 1983, he was an Academy Award nominee forThe Right Stuff, in which he played Chuck Yeager, a war-hero pilot and space explorer.

He is also widely known for his role as Noah's father, Frank Calhoun, in the 2004 filmThe Notebook. Cue: heart broken.

Cue: heartbroken.

Throughout his life, Shepard produced 44 plays, a number of books and appeared in dozens of movies.

Tributes are flowing in on social media for the late, and much beloved, actor.

I had the honor of playing Sam Shepard's son in one of my first films. He was a class act whose work profoundly influenced me & the world.

— Paul Wesley (@paulwesley) July 31, 2017

Sam Shepard was a towering figure in American theater and film. He indeed had "the right stuff." His voice will truly be missed. https://t.co/gkkK8KHxum

— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) July 31, 2017

"I hate endings. Just detest them." -- Sam Shepard pic.twitter.com/itu4IGaZnW

— Tim O'Brien (@TimOBrien) July 31, 2017

RIP Sam Shepard. The characters you created is what made me fall in love with acting. One of the greatest of all time.

— Casey Cott (@CaseyCott) July 31, 2017

We've lost an icon. R.I.P. Sam Shepard #TheNotebook pic.twitter.com/IHkEKdjmTk

— Nicholas Sparks (@NicholasSparks) July 31, 2017