Cartoonist Scott Adams, the creator of the comic strip Dilbert, has died at the age of 68, his family announced on Tuesday.
Adams had been battling metastatic prostate cancer, a disease he publicly revealed in 2025, which ultimately led to complications and his passing.
The news was shared by his ex-wife, Shelly Miles, during an episode of his long-running podcast Coffee with Scott Adams, where she read a farewell message Adams had written before his death.
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“If you are reading this, things did not go well for me. I have a few things to say before I go. My body fell before my brain. I am of sound mind as I write this January 1, 2026,” Ms Miles read aloud as she choked back tears.
“I had an amazing life. I gave it everything I had,” Adams wrote.
“If you got any benefits from my work, I’m asking that you pay it forward as best you can. That’s the legacy I want. Be useful, and please know I loved you all till the very end.”
Born on June 8, 1957, in Windham, New York, Adams became one of the most recognised cartoonists of his generation. He launched Dilbert in 1989, a comic strip that poked fun at corporate culture, which resonated with white-collar workers worldwide.
At its peak, the comic appeared in thousands of newspapers across more than 70 countries and earned Adams widespread acclaim.
However, his public image underwent a dramatic shift in 2023 following controversial remarks he made on a live stream that many interpreted as racist.
The comments sparked significant backlash, leading to the removal of Dilbert from several newspapers and the loss of his book publishing deals.
Despite the professional fallout, Adams continued to engage with his audience through online platforms, including his podcast and a self-published version of his comic, Dilbert Reborn.
Friend of Adams, US President Donald Trump paid tribute to the cartoonist on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“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,” Mr Trump wrote.
