Scott Adams, the creator of the much-loved cartoon strip “Dilbert,” has passed away at the age of 68, succumbing to a battle with prostate cancer. The renowned cartoonist and podcast host entered hospice care last week, marking the final chapter in his storied life.
The news of his passing was shared by his former wife, Shelly Miles, who chose to deliver the somber announcement on Adams’ own podcast, “Real Coffee With Scott Adams,” on a Tuesday episode. Struggling to hold back tears, Miles informed listeners that Adams was “no longer with us,” and proceeded to read a heartfelt final message penned by Adams himself before his death.
In his poignant farewell, Adams began by acknowledging the inevitable, stating, “If you are reading this, things did not go well for me.” He continued by assuring his audience of his mental clarity at the time of writing, dated January 1, 2026, despite his physical decline. Adams expressed his intention to communicate his final thoughts, emphasizing that his decisions regarding his estate and other matters were made without undue influence, affirming, “I promise.”
Miles said Adams was ‘no longer with us’, and broke down in tears as she read a final message Adams wrote before he passed away.
‘If you are reading this, things did not go well for me,’ Miles read.
‘I have a few things to say before I go. My body failed before my brain, I am of sound mind as I write this January 1, 2026. If you wonder about any of my choices for my estate or anything else please know I’m free of any inappropriate influence of any sort, I promise.’
Miles said that Adams had decided to become a Christian in his final moments, but he admitted he still saw himself as an atheist.
‘Next, many of my Christian friends have asked me to find Jesus before I go,’ Miles said as she read Adams’ letter. ‘I am not a believer, but I have to admit the risk reward calculation for doing so looks so attractive to me.
Dilbert creator Scott Adams has passed away aged 68 following a battle with prostate cancer
In a heartbreaking final message to his fans, Adams said: ‘If you are reading this, things did not go well for me. I have a few things to say before I go. My body failed before my brain’
‘So, here I go. I accept Jesus Christ as my lord and savior, and look forward to spending an eternity with him. The part about me not being a believer should be quickly resolved if I wake up in heaven.’
Adams, who launched his popular Dilbert cartoon in 1989, had been updating fans on his cancer battle on his podcast and revealed he did not have much longer left to live in update earlier this month.
‘I talked to my radiologist yesterday, and it’s all bad news — the odds of me recovering are essentially zero,’ he said. ‘I’ll give you any updates if that changes, but it won’t.’
Adams said in his final letter that while he still saw himself as an atheist he, ‘won’t need any more convincing’ if he ends up in heaven, and added: ‘I hope I’m still qualified for entry.’
He added that he was ‘focused on making myself a worthy husband and parent as a way to find meaning’ early on in life.
‘That worked, but marriages don’t always last forever,’ he wrote. ‘I’m grateful for those years, and for those people I came to call my family.’
Adams first announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in May 2025 and admitted he had been quietly battling the disease for some time.
At the time, Adams told fans his prognosis was not good, saying: ‘If you’re wondering if I’ll get better, the answer is no, it will only get worse… There’s only one direction this goes.’
Adams created his popular Dilbert cartoon in 1989. He first announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in May 2025 and admitted he had been quietly battling the disease for some time
Adams seen with ex-wife Kristina Basham, whom he was married to from 2020 to 2022
In recent years, Adams became an outspoken supporter of conservative issues. In 2023 his popular comic Dilbert was dropped by dozens of newspapers after he introduced anti-woke plotlines to the series.
In November 2025, Adams appealed to President Trump to help him obtain cancer drug treatments that he believed could prolong his life.
Adams claimed his healthcare provider ‘dropped the ball’ in scheduling a new FDA-approved drug called Pluvicto.
Trump’s Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr responded to his tweet on the issue saying he and the president wanted to help him to obtain it.
Despite the White House intervention, Adams said his condition continued to worsen and in December he revealed he was paralyzed from the waist down as the cancer had spread.
Following news that Adams had passed away, tributes poured in for the famed cartoonist and podcaster.
President Trump shared a picture of himself and Adams in the Oval Office as wrote on his Truth Social platform: ‘Sadly, the Great Influencer, Scott Adams, has passed away.
‘He was a fantastic guy, who liked and respected me when it wasn’t fashionable to do so. He bravely fought a long battle against a terrible disease. My condolences go out to his family, and all of his many friends and listeners. He will be truly missed. God bless you Scott!’
Conservative podcaster Dave Rubin, who hosted Adams on his show several times, wrote on X: ‘Scott Adams was one of the wisest, kindest, most decent humans beings I’ve had the honor of coming across in all my years of doing this show. I will miss you, friend.’
