Evel Knievel Dies After Years of Mesmerizing Stunts

Evel Knievel, an American icon, died Friday of multiple health problems. Evel Knievel provided generations with gut wrenching apprehension as he performed, year after year, mesmerizing stunts for millions of people around the world.

Evel Knievel's feats were milestones in the world of stunts up to his retirement in 1980, and in his 30 some odd years of challenging death, the man suffered more than 40 broken bones among a slew of other illnesses that ultimately claimed his life.

Apparently a blood transfusion done 15 years ago initiated the onset of Hepatitis C that, coupled with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and diabetes, caught up to the 69 year old icon. Since his 1999 liver transplant, Evel was unable to recover fully. Knievel's granddaughter Kristen released the terrible news on November, 30th 2007. Needless to say, Evel's passing has been a surprise to everyone.

Knievel's career was marked more by his ability to survive the impossible than anything else. In 1968 Knievel was first known world-wide for a death-defying crash at the Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. Later, a spectacular crash secured him name in the history books when, in 1974, he tried, but failed, to jump Snake River Canyon in Idaho.

But Evel Knievel also successfully completed amazing stunts that included jumping a tank full of sharks and an impossible series of Greyhound buses. Through the late 60's and seventies Evel Knievel had become a household name throughout the states and most of the world.

Evel Knievel was born as Robert Knievel and got his name in 1956 after a police chase gone bad. Robert was thrown from his bike and put into jail for reckless driving. The jailer noticed that beside Knievel's cell was William Knofel, a man with the moniker "Awful Knofel". Since that moment on, the idea stuck to name Robert "Evel Knievel".

A chart showing Evel Knievel's injuries.

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