Neal Cassady, a renowned American writer, died on February 4th, 1968, at the age of 41. Cassady was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1926. In his teenage years, Cassady earned a reputation for his willingness to take risks and go on adventures; this resulted in him meeting the major players of the Beat Generation, in particular Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, who would both be major artistic influences in his life. Known for his propensity for fast living, Cassady was an important figure in the Beat Generation, and was featured as a key character in both Kerouac’s novel On the Road and Ken Kesey’s novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Primarily a poet, Cassady’s works have been utilized in popular culture in performances by popular musicians such as Lou Reed and Bob Dylan. In later years, Cassady began to pursue a simpler, more family-oriented lifestyle, settling in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Cassady’s influence on modern literature, music and culture have been noted and will continue to have an impact. He will be remembered for his remarkable and truly unique life story.