Robbie Knievel, son of the iconic daredevil, Evel Knievel, has passed away at the age of 60. In a statement provided to CNN, his brother, Kelly, confirmed that he had been battling pancreatic cancer for six months.
“He was in hospice for about four days. He had advanced pancreatic cancer,” Kelly Knievel told the outlet.
Kelly added that Robbie was accompanied by his three daughters when he passed: Krysten Knievel Hansson of Chicago, Karmen Knievel of Missoula, Montana, and Maria Collins of Waldport, Oregon.
Kelly went on to describe his late brother as a “great daredevil."
“If you’ve ever been to one of his jumps, they were really dangerous, and you can’t really capture the emotional feeling of the danger that you see on TV,” Kelly said.
Robbie began participating in motorcycle stunts in his teens, following in his father's footsteps. Over the course of his career, Robbie performed 300 jumps and set 20 world records. His success didn't come without a fair share of hardship as well, having suffered several injuries over the years.
“Injuries took quite a toll on him,” Kelly said.
Reflecting on his relationship with his father in 2019, Robbie explained that they grew closer after his career took off.
“Of the four of us kids, he disciplined me the most, since I was the rebel,” he wrote at the time. “I was the one constantly challenging him and emulating him.”
Services have not yet been scheduled, but Kelly says his brother will be buried with other family members in Butte, Montana. Evel passed away back in 2007 in Clearwater, Florida.
[Via]