HE-MAN creator Roger Sweet has died at the age of 91 after a lengthy battle with dementia.
The beloved toy designer helped bring the muscular, blonde-haired character to life through an iconic 80s action figure.
Roger’s work on the toy helped shape the animated TV show He-Man and the Masters of the Universe which made the sword-wielding hero a household name.
He worked as the lead designer for Mattel’s Preliminary Design Department across the 70s and 80s with his big break coming with the He-Man design in 1982.
Roger is survived by his wife, Marlene.
She said he passed away peacefully at a care facility on Tuesday morning.
His official cause of death is yet to be announced.
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Earlier this year, Marlene launched a GoFundMe to help cover the staggering healthcare costs from Roger’s dementia treatment.
She detailed in the heart-breaking appeal that Roger suffered a fall while out walking alone and when he was checked over by doctors couldn’t remember what happened.
Doctors ran some tests and discovered two bleeds on the brain as the toy designer was hospitalised in the ICU for surgery.
He was moved into a memory care facility that ended up costing the family over $10,000 (£7,400) a month.
The GoFundMe for covering the payments quickly soared past the £35,000 goal.
At the time of Roger’s death it had reached almost £70,000.
His death comes just weeks before a new live-action Masters of the Universe film from Amazon and Mattel is set to hit theaters.
The sci-fi flick will star Alison Brie, Kristen Wiig, Jared Leto and Idris Elba in a fresh look at He-Man and his band of hero friends.
The film follows the wildly popular 1983 cartoon – the companion project to the toy line.
The show takes place on the magical planet of Eternia, following young Prince Adam.
When he wielded the Sword of Power, Prince Adam would say the now-iconic line, “By the Power of Grayskull! I have the power”.
The phrase would then turn him into He-Man, the galaxy’s bravest warrior.
The show ran for 130 episodes over its two year stint between 1983 and 1985.
1983, Mattel and Filmation launched the “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” cartoon as a companion project to the highly popular He-Man toyline. The show took place on the magical planet of Eternia and followed the young Prince Adam. When wielding the Sword of Power, Adam would utter the now-iconic line, “By the Power of Grayskull! I have the power,” which would turn him into He-Man, the galaxy’s most fearsome warrior. The show ran for 130 episodes from 1983 to 1985.
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