Stuntman Robbie Knievel, son of daredevil Evel Knievel, has died at the age of 60.
Knievel passed away early Friday at a hospice in Reno after battling pancreatic cancer, his brother Kelly Knievel told the Associated Press. Kelly said Robbie died with daughters Krysten, Karmen, and Maria by his side.
“Daredevils don’t live easy lives,” Kelly Knievel shared. “He was a great daredevil. People don’t really understand how scary it is what my brother did.”
“Daredevils don’t live easy lives,” Kelly added. “But, it’s what they do.”
Robbie was one of Evel Knievel’s four children. Along with Kelly, the legendary stuntman had two daughters, Tracey and Alicia. Known as “Kaptain Robbie Knievel,” Robbie followed in his father’s footsteps en route to an illustrious daredevil career, which was highlighted by 350 jumps and 20 world records, according to his biography on his official website.
His iconic career included his famous 1989 jump in which he cleared the Caesars Palace fountains in Las Vegas. His father had attempted the same jump in 1967, nearly dying from the injuries he sustained when he crashed his Harley-Davidson.
In 1992, at age 29, he was injured when he crashed into the 22nd of 25 pickup trucks lined up across a 180-foot (55-meter) span in Cerritos, California.
“Injuries took quite a toll on him,” Kelly Knievel said Friday.
Robbie was married once and divorced. Kelly said his brother will be buried with other family members in Butte, Montana.
