Robbie Knievel, son of famed stunt performer Evel Knievel, has died at the age of 60. Born in 1962 in Butte, Montana, Knievel decided as a young boy that he wanted to follow in his father’s death-defying footsteps (via Biography).
From a young age, Knievel was taught by his father to jump motorcycles, and he soon became a record-breaking daredevil in his own right, with over 350 jumps and 20 world records to his name. One of Knievel’s more notable stunts was a 1989 jump over the fountains in front of the famed Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also made an incredible 228-foot jump over a narrow part of the Grand Canyon in 1998, although he suffered a broken leg upon landing, per The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Knievel’s brother, Kelly Knievel, explained to CBS News that in the few days leading up to his death, Knievel had been in hospice care. Here’s what we know about his death.
Robbie Knievel died from pancreatic cancer
Robbie Knievel’s cause of death was pancreatic cancer. As part of your digestive system, the pancreas helps your body digest the food you eat and also aids in keeping your blood sugar levels balanced (via the Mayo Clinic).
Treatment for pancreatic cancer depends on the individual and how advanced the disease is but chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery are typical options. Unfortunately, the disease can be difficult to detect in its early stages as its symptoms — no appetite, dark-colored urine, light-colored stools, jaundice, and pain in the abdomen that extends to the back — usually don’t show up until later. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, an estimated 80% of pancreatic cancer cases go undetected until the cancer is in its advanced stages, which unfortunately makes treatment more challenging.
To best honor his brother’s memory, Kelly Knievel told CBS News that he hopes the public will remember Robbie Knievel for his illustrious career and passion for what he did. “He was a great daredevil,” he explained. “If you look at his jumps, that’s what he should be known for. It’s what he loved doing.”
