“Behind the Jumps: The Shocking Secrets of Evel Knievel’s Reckless Pursuit of Fame”
His First Retirement Came After The Wembley Jump
On May 26, 1975, Knievel crashed in front of 90,000 people at Wembley Stadium in London, England. He was attempting to jump 13 double-decker London buses but failed. Knievel ended up breaking his pelvis in the crash and this was the moment that pushed him over the edge.
Knievel denied a stretcher and walked out in front of the audience to announce that this, combined with the Snake River Canyon jump, meant that he would “never, ever, ever jump again.”
He Gave Up A Liver For A Young Kid
In the late-90s, it was discovered that Knievel had Hepatitis C that was tearing apart his liver. Knievel was put on the waitlist for a liver and finally, on February 2, 1999, he was told a liver was available.
When Knievel went into the hospital though, he learned that there was a younger child much lower on the list than him with the same blood type who had just taken a turn for the worse. Knievel walked out of the hospital and said he felt fine so that the liver could go to the child.
There’s A Rock Opera About Him
In 2003, Knievel signed over the exclusive rights to his life story and biography so that a Los Angeles composer could turn it into a rock opera. The show opened in Los Angeles in September 2007 to some surprisingly positive reviews.
Knievel said that the rock opera was a “wonderful compliment” and that he approved of and enjoyed all seven of the songs the composer wrote for the rock opera.
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