Seemingly fearless daredevil, Robert “Evel” Knievel died Friday, November 30, 2007 at age 69. For years he suffered health problems, including diabetes, pulmonary fibrosis, hepatitis C, numerous surgeries, a liver transplant, and two strokes.
Knievel was born in Butte, Montana in October of 1938. Always in the spotlight, he was an exceptional athlete and a military man. His daredevil career began in 1965 with the group “Bobby Knievel’s Motorcycle Daredevils”, though he quickly became a solo act and started making more daring jumps over automobiles rather than just pools of water. The jumps continuously escalated getting larger and more dangerous creating a fearless image. Not even a 30 day coma after jumping the fountain at Caesar’s Palace stopped him from thinking bigger. The last time his red, white, and blue jumpsuit flew through the air was in 1981 in Hollywood, Florida.
Outside of being the gutsiest daredevil, Knievel got into a good bit of trouble. One incident occurred in the late 1970s. When Shelly Saltman’s book Evel Knievel on Tour was released, Knievel was unhappy with the accusations against his character. He attacked Saltman with an aluminum baseball bat shattering his left arm and wrist. This incident, along with a few others, gave him a volatile image.
After a tumultuous ride of fame, Knievel became a Christian in April of 2007. Following this lifestyle change, he expressed profound happiness at the comfort and strength God gave him. He is survived by his wife Krystal Kennedy-Knievel, his former wife Linda Bork Knievel, their four children Kelly, Robbie, Tracey, and Alicia, as well as fifteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
With all that he has done, Knievel has been immortalized in Washington’s Smithsonian Institution as “America’s Legendary Daredevil.” He’s suffered almost 40 broken bones during his career, including terrible crashes trying to jump Snake RiverCanyon with a rocket-powered motorcycle. Beating incredible odds Knievel succumbed, not to life-risking stunts, making him in death, still a rebel.
