Evel Knievel’s family is going all-out for his funeral, or, as his son Kelly Knievel said, “We’re throwing a funeral.” And you know what, I’m all right with that. Evel lived an outlandish, daredevil lifestyle. According to his family, he was very specific about his funeral requests, and if that’s what he wanted, why not? Knievel’s send-off will include a fireworks show Sunday night in Butte, Montana , followed by a public viewing the next morning. His funeral will be held Monday at the Butte Civic Center and will be officiated by televangelist Robert H. Schuller. Seem an odd choice? Well despite his hard living ways, Knievel converted to Christianity this past spring. The story is rather interesting.

On April 1, 2007, Knievel announced to a worldwide audience that he “believed in Jesus Christ” for the first time. He professed his personal faith in Christ to more than 4,000 people who gathered inside the Crystal Cathedral for Palm Sunday services in Orange County, California, and to millions via an Hour of Power telecast of the service to over 100 countries.

Knievel told how he had refused for 68 years to convert to Christianity because he didn’t want to surrender his lifestyle of “the gold and the gambling and the booze and the women.” He explained his conversion experience by saying, “All of a sudden, I just believed in Jesus Christ. I did, I believed in him!”

Knievel recounted how he “rose up in bed and, I was by myself, and I said, ‘Devil, Devil, you bastard you, get away from me. I cast you out of my life….’ I just got on my knees and prayed that God would put his arms around me and never, ever, ever let me go.” At his request, he was baptized before the congregation and TV cameras by Dr. Robert H. Schuller, Founding Pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. Christianity Today reported that “…Knievel’s testimony triggered mass baptisms at the Crystal Cathedral.”

[From Wikipedia]

I can’t help but be a little wary of televangelists, but to each his own. The Butte Civic Center can hold about 10,000 and officials expect it to reach capacity. Afterwards, Knievel’s body will be driven along a 6-mile lip in Butte named Evel Knievel Way. He will then be buried privately. According to Marko Lucich, the Butte-Silver Bow Chamber of Commerce executive, Butte had an annual Evel Knievel festival, which Knievel had actively promoted. He told the Associated Press the funeral will draw “‘a little bit of everything. You’ll see people in suits. Others will be in motorcycle apparel. Whatever people choose will be appropriate.’” Seems like a joyful celebration of a life, and an appropriate send off.

Famous motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel has died, according to his website. Though no cause of death has been given, Knievel has been in poor health for several years. He suffered from diabetes, hepatitis C, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a condition that scarred his lungs. He was 69 years old.

Only two days before his death, it was reported that Knievel and Kanye West amicably settled a federal lawsuit that the stuntman brought last year over the use of Knievel’s trademarked image in a video for Kanye’s song “Touch the Sky.” In it, West took on the persona of “Evel Kanyevel” and tries to jump a rocket-powered motorcycle over a canyon – an apparent nod to Knievel’s failed attempt to jump Idaho’s Snake River Canyon in 1974.

According to the Associated Press, Knievel and West recently met in the motorcycle legend’s Clearwater, Fla., condo, and Knievel also expressed concern for West, who was mourning the loss of his mother who died suddenly earlier this month. “I know he’s had some tough times the past few weeks, and I hope things work out,” Knievel was quoted as saying.

[From People]

Dying at that age isn’t really old. It’s not so young where it’s shocking, but considering he was up and about and meeting with Kanye West last week, one would think he was doing reasonably well until the very end. Our thoughts are with his family.

Picture note by Jaybird: Here’s Evel Knievel leaping over nine cars on his motorcycle at Madison Square Garden on August 7th, 1971 Images thanks to WENN.