Stephen Wilhite, the man who invented the GIF, has died. He was 74.

Unfortunately, his was a life that ended when it should not have been yet. He's healthy and still enjoying his life, despite being 74.

His wife is a testament to how able he still was, because prior to contracting the relentless COVID-19, he was still programming - or doing what he calls his first love.

The "Graphics Interchange Format," which he invented while at CompuServe to facilitate photo uploads over poor modem connections, was one of his many contributions in the industry.

His wife claims that Wilhite came up with the GIF concept on his own in 1987. When compared to today's internet speeds, it was created as a "exchange and display system for graphic pictures."

"After he perfected the technique at home, he brought it to work, Kathaleen told The Verge.

She was a testament to how genius of a man WIlhite was. "He would figure out everything privately in his head and then go to town programming it on the computer," she shared.

The format may have become extinct a long time ago if it had been limited to 256 colors per animation. But Wilhite made sure it was not so easy to just disregard his efforts, Wilhite built it to be able to retain numerous frames, which made it perfect for creating short animations.

An explanation from the Daily Dot explains that it took on a life of its own after AOL bought CompuServe and allowed the patent to expire.

Aside from the GIFs he created, Wilhite made other other significant contributions to CompuServe that helped it grow into the internet giant it is today. His colleagues at CompuServe praised his "intelligent and perseverant" work on the company's software products for businesses, hobbyists, and home users.

Wilhite retired in 2000 to pursue his hobbies and interests, including travel and model railroading.

Kathaleen told NPR that he always returned to programming as his first passion, and that he was still doing it just weeks before becoming ill with COVID. "

"He was probably one of the kindest, humble men you've ever met," she said. She added that while her grief is strong right now, she's comforted by all the kind words people have been saying about her husband. "I've been reading about [the responses online] all afternoon, and I can't even tell you how it comforts you," she shared.