Scott Adams, best known as the creator of the Dilbert comic strip, was living with the same form of cancer that former President Joe Biden has. Adams got candid about his health shortly after Biden’s diagnosis was revealed in May 2025. On January 13, 2026, Adams died.
Adams warned fans that he was nearing the end of his life. During an appearance on his “Real Coffee with Scott Adams” podcast at the start of the new year, he said he had “no chance” of making a full recovery.
“I talked to my radiologist yesterday, and it’s all bad news — the odds of me recovering are essentially zero,” he noted. “I’ll give you any updates if that changes, but it won’t. … So, there’s no chance that I’ll get my feeling back in my legs, and I’ve got some ongoing heart failure, which is making it difficult to breathe sometimes during the day. However, you should prepare yourself that January will probably be a month of transition, one way or another.”
Below, learn more about Adams, his health and his career.
BREAKING: “Dilbert” creator Scott Adams has passed away at the age of 68 after a long battle with prostate cancer.
Part of Scott’s Final Message: “Many of my Christian friends have asked me to find Jesus before I go… I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and look forward… pic.twitter.com/M1SvpW7pGM
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) January 13, 2026
How Old Was Scott Adams When He Died?
Adams was 68 years old when he died.
Scott Adams Died After Prostate Cancer Battle
Adams opened up about his prostate cancer during a live stream in May 2025, noting that his life expectancy “is maybe this summer.”
“I expect to be checking out from this domain sometime this summer,” the cartoonist said, adding that he’s been using a walker for months and detailed that he’s “always in pain.” Adams elaborated that he doesn’t “have good days” and informed his viewers, “Every day is a nightmare, and evening is even worse.”
“It’s kind of civilized that you know about how long you have, so you can put your affairs together and make sure you’ve said your ‘goodbyes’ and done all the things you need to do,” Adams noted. “So, if you had to pick a way to die, this one’s really painful, like really, really painful. But it’s also kind of good that it gives you enough time while your brain is still working to wrap things up.”
Biden revealed his diagnosis that same month.
Scott Adams Created Dilbert
Adams was known as the brains behind Dilbert — a comic strip first introduced in the late 1980s. It’s satire about a micromanaged officer with engineer Dilbert as the main character.
Scott Adams Was Married Twice
Throughout his career, Adams was married twice. His first marriage was to ex-wife Shelly Miles from 2006 to 2014. He later married his ex-wife Kristina Basham in 2020, and they divorced in 2022.
What Was Scott Adams’ Net Worth?
The accomplished comic author had a net worth of $20 million as of 2026, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
