Those who remember the legendary Sam Kinison’s stand-up comedy might be surprised to know that the bawdy, boisterous comedian was an itinerant preacher in the 1970s. The son of a minister, Kinison pursued that passion after years of adolescence marked by youthful misdeeds. Biography tells us that Kinison left his preaching job in Chicago in 1977 to pursue his dream of becoming a stand-up comedian. He traveled to Houston, where he quickly gained recognition as one of the city’s best-known artists.

Known for his jokes and observations on topics that most comedians considered taboo, Kinison became known for his signature onstage scream. It was quickly becoming a comedic favorite, with the track “Wild Thing” from Kinison’s second stand-up album “Have You Seen Me Lately” garnering a Grammy nomination in 1988. Offstage, Kinison was known to be a heavy drinker and drug addict, with his addiction taking a toll on his personal life.

Unfortunately, Kinison left the world before most of what he could have accomplished materialized. The New York Times reports that Kinison was killed on April 10, 1992, when a 17-year-old driving a truck crashed into the car Kinison had been driving with his wife for only a week. Kinison was still alive after the crash, as recounted by his brother who was following Kinison’s car when the accident happened. He rushed to Sam’s aid, only to hear her say, “Why now? I don’t want to die,” before the comic blacked out (via Biography). He was 38 years old.