Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of death. Reader discretion is advised.
Evel Knievel, the famed daredevil performer known for his iconic jump over the Las Vegas Caesars Palace fountains, died in 2007. The cause of his death was revealed to be his failing health. Knievel became an international icon in the 1960s and 70s for a series of legendary motorcycle jumps. These airborne stunts included jumps over Greyhound buses, live sharks, and the Snake River Canyon in Idaho. His 1967 jump over the Caesars Palace fountains in Las Vegas resulted in life-threatening injuries, following which he remained unconscious for a month.
The Being Evel documentary looks into Knievel’s career as an adventurer and his personal life, including his marriage to Krystal Kennedy. Evel Knievel, whose real name is Robert Craig Knievel, made his last jump in May 1975 in Wembley Stadium. The stunt resulted in a crash when he failed to jump 13 buses.
Explaining Evel Knievel’s cause of death
According to The New York Times, Evel Knievel’s cause of death was natural as the stuntsperson died of his failing health. Knievel had been suffering from diabetes and an untreatable lunch condition called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis for years. He died on November 30, 2007, in Clearwater, Florida, at the age of 69.
The world-renowned stuntsperson had suffered many critical injuries throughout his career. ESPN further reported that in 1999, Evel Knievel underwent a liver transplant because of a fatal hepatitis C infection that nearly killed him. He possibly developed the infection through a blood transfusion following one of his life-threatening spills, which he suffered many. Additionally, he suffered two strokes in the years leading up to his death.
Reportedly, while explaining his cause of death, Evel Knievel’s close friend and promoter Billy Rundle claimed that the stuntperson was facing trouble breathing. Knievel was in his condominium in Clearwater at the time and died before reaching the hospital. Knievel is survived by his three children—Robbie, Kelly, Tracey, and Alicia. Robbie, who was also a sportsperson, has since died.
The documentary Being Evel is now available to stream on Peacock. Discovery’s Pure Evel: American Legend also looks into the life, career, and legacy of Evel Knievel as the greatest 20th-century stuntsperson.
