Report: Evel Knievel’s son, Robbie, dies at 60

Robbie Knievel, son of legendary stuntman Evel Knievel, has died at the age of 60, his brother, Kelly Knievel told CBS News on Friday. Robbie Knievel died of pancreatic cancer after being in hospice for three days.

Robbie Knievel died early Friday (local time) at a hospice in Reno after battling pancreatic cancer, Kelly Knievel said.

“Daredevils don’t live easy lives,” Kelly Knievel told The Associated Press. “He was a great daredevil. People don’t really understand how scary it is what my brother did.”

As a boy, Robbie Knievel began on his bicycle to emulate his famous father, Evel Knievel, who died in 2007 in Clearwater, Florida.

But where Evel Knievel famously almost died from injuries when he crashed his Harley-Davidson during a jump over the Caesars Palace fountains in Las Vegas in 1967, Robbie completed the jump in 1989 using a specially designed Honda.

Robbie Knievel also made headline-grabbing Las Vegas Strip jumps over a row of limousines in 1998 at the Tropicana Hotel – between two buildings at the Jockey Club in 1999 – and a New Year’s Eve jump amid fireworks in front of a volcano attraction at The Mirage on December 31, 2008.

After a crash-landing to complete a motorcycle leap over a 61-metre chasm at an Indian reservation outside Grand Canyon National Park in 1999, Robbie Knievel noted that his father always wanted to jump the spectacular natural landmark in Arizona, but never did. Robbie Knievel broke his leg in his crash.

Evel Knievel instead attempted to soar over a mile-wide Snake River Canyon chasm in Idaho in September 1974. His rocket-powered cycle crashed into the canyon while his escape parachute deployed.

Robbie Knievel’s brother recalled other stunts including a 2004 jump over a row of military aircraft on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid, a museum in New York.

Robbie Knievel, who promoted himself as “Kaptain Robbie Knievel,” set several stunt records, but also failed in several attempts. In 1992, at age 29, he was injured when he crashed into the 22nd of 25 pickup trucks lined up across a 55-metre span in Cerritos, California.

“Injuries took quite a toll on him,” Kelly Knievel said.

Kelly Knievel lives in Las Vegas. He said his brother died with three daughters at his side: Krysten Knievel Hansson of Chicago, Karmen Knievel of Missoula, Montana, and Maria Collins of Waldport, Oregon.

Services were not immediately scheduled, but Kelly Knievel said his brother will be buried with other family members in Butte, Montana.

“It was expected,” his brother told CBS News. “He was in Reno with his three daughters by his side.”

Known as “Kaptain Robbie Knievel,” Robbie Knievel had his own daredevil career with 350 jumps and 20 world records, according to his biography on his official website. Knievel was married once and divorced, his brother said.

From a young age, Knievel wanted to be a daredevil, even though it was difficult personally and professionally to follow in his father’s footsteps, his brother said.

Their father, Evel, was proud of his son’s accomplishments and tried to attend all of his jumps, including Knievel’s 1989 successful one over the Caesars Palace fountains in Las Vegas. In 1967, his father had attempted the same jump and almost died from the injuries he sustained when he crashed his Harley-Davidson.

“Daredevils don’t live easy lives,” his brother said. “But, it’s what they do.”

WASHINGTON (TND) — Robbie Knievel, who was the daredevil son of Evel Knievel, died early Friday morning at the age of 60, according to TMZ.

TMZ reported that a source said “Robbie was in hospice care for his final days after a battle with pancreatic cancer.”

TMZ also noted that his daughters were at his side when he died.

Robbie completed a jump over the fountains at Caesars Palace in 1989, something his father tried to do but failed.

He also attempted to jump 30 limousines at the Tropicana in 1998. He jumped from one tower to the other at the Jockey Club in 1999, and jumped the Mirage’s volcano in 2008.