Evel Knievel, the legendary stunt performer known for his daring motorcycle jumps and risk-taking spirit, passed away at the age of 69 in Clearwater, Florida.
His death was confirmed by his granddaughter, Krysten Knievel, according to a report.
Evel Knievel’s extraordinary career in the 1960s and ’70s amazed audiences around the world, as he became synonymous with death-defying stunts and the quintessential image of a daredevil.
Despite the dangers, his performances solidified his legacy as a cultural icon and a symbol of fearless adventure.
Evel Knievel had been battling several health issues for years, including diabetes and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive and incurable lung condition.
In 1999, he narrowly survived a liver transplant after contracting hepatitis C, which he believed resulted from a blood transfusion following one of his numerous crashes.
Just days before his death, Knievel reached a settlement with rap artist Kanye West over a federal lawsuit concerning West’s use of Knievel’s trademarked image in a music video.
Knievel’s fame as a daredevil was solidified on December 31, 1967, when he attempted a motorcycle jump over the fountains at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
The stunt, which covered 151 feet, ended in a dramatic and catastrophic crash, leaving him with multiple broken bones but also cementing his status as a legendary figure in stunt performance history.
Evel Knievel continued to build his fame and fortune by captivating enormous audiences with his daring stunts.
Dressed in his iconic star-spangled red, white, and blue outfit, he would roar up a ramp on his motorcycle and leap over rows of 10, 15, or even 20 cars lined up side by side, before landing on another ramp.
One of his most ambitious and infamous stunts occurred in 1974 when he attempted to jump the Snake River Canyon in Idaho on a rocket-powered motorcycle.
Despite the high expectations, the stunt ended in failure as Knievel’s parachute deployed prematurely, causing him to drift into the canyon below, but he survived the ordeal, adding to his legend as a fearless and resilient daredevil.
Evel Knievel’s health was also severely affected by years of heavy drinking. He once admitted to reporters that he was consuming half a fifth of whiskey daily, often accompanied by beer chasers.
Born Robert Craig Knievel in the copper-mining town of Butte, Montana, he grew up under challenging circumstances. His parents separated when he was young, and he was raised by his grandparents.
As Knievel recounted, he earned the nickname “Evel” during his youth. After being arrested for stealing hubcaps, he was jailed alongside a man named Knofel, whom the police dubbed “Awful Knofel.” In a play on this, they began calling Robert “Evil Knievel.”
The name stuck, and years later, he legally changed his name to Evel Knievel, altering the spelling from “i” to “e” because he thought it looked better.
This name would become synonymous with his larger-than-life persona as a daredevil.
