Kim Manners, the Executive Producer for Supernatural, passed away yesterday due to complications from lung cancer.
Eric Kripke released this statement: "Everyone at Supernatural is walking around in a daze, shocked and absolutely devastated. Kim was a brilliant director; more than that, he was a mentor and friend. He was one of the patriarchs of the family, and we miss him desperately. He gave so much to Supernatural, and everything we do on the show, now and forever, is in memory of him."
For more information check out this article from BuddyTV.