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FAIRHOPE, Ala. (WKRG) — Winston Groom, the famed author of “Forrest Gump” has died, according to a post by the mayor of Fairhope, Alabama.

“It is with great sadness that I share the passing of our dear friend Winston Groom,” Mayor Karin Wilson wrote on Facebook. “The City of Fairhope has lost an iconic author today. Please keep his friends and family in your thoughts and prayers.”

Groom wrote the novel “Forrest Gump” in 1986, and it was adapted into the blockbuster movie that released in 1994 starring Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise and Robin Wright.

The film won six Academy Awards including best picture, best actor and best director.

Though largely known as a novelist, Groom also wrote nonfiction books including “The Crimson Tide: The Official Illustrated History of Alabama Football.”