Evel Knievel dies at age 69

Sports Illustrate just annonced that the beloved daredevil, Evel  Knievel has died at the age of 69. His granddaughter Krysten Knievel confirms his death. Apparently, his health had been failing for years. He was suffering from diabetes and pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable condition that scarred his lungs.

Knievel had undergone a liver transplant in 1999 after nearly dying of hepatitis C, likely contracted through a blood transfusion after one of his bone-shattering spills.

Immortalized in the Washington’s Smithsonian Institution as “America’s Legendary Daredevil,” Knievel was best known for a failed 1974 attempt to jump Snake River Canyon on a rocket-powered cycle and a spectacular crash at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. He suffered nearly 40 broken bones before he retired in 1980.

He made news just 2 days ago when he settled a lawsuit with Kanye West. Last year Kanye West launched a music video for his song “Touch the Sky” in which he took on Evel Knievel’s persona and is depicted trying to jump a canyon on a rocket powered motorcycle, like Evel's failed attempt to Jump Idaho's Snake River Canyon in 1974. Evel Knievel slapped the singer with a lawsuit claiming that West's vulgar and offensive images in the video damaged his reputation. West’s attorney claimed that the video amounted to satire, which is protected under the First Amendment.

The retired daredevil stunt rider has discovered that Kanye West is not only a wonderful guy, but quite a gentleman as well. An agreement was reached and the two have agreed to keep the terms private.