Friends of Kiwi comedian and amateur stuntman Johnny "Danger" Bennett say the cult-hero turned his life around after serving time in prison.
Nina Bostock and Sami Downie were friends with Danger since childhood and remembered the time his life-changed forever.
The friends told Stuff how Danger left Orewa College, just north of Auckland, early and went on the dole, often getting into fights.
One of these fights at a 21st party in Orewa landed him in jail for around two years.
"When you'd look at him up until then, Johnny had this resume that'd make you think, 'oh wow, it's not gonna work out for him'," Ms Bostock told Stuff.
The 'Danger Swig' was the Kiwi comedian's signature drinking move performed by many celebrities including Sir John Key. (Source: Other)
"But he came out (of prison) and changed his life around. He started doing the videos and he just took off."
From there Danger shot to fame in New Zealand after footage of him car surfing a taxi went viral in 2013.
Before his death in an Auckland motorcycle accident on Anzac Day he had a four part show on MTV and produced NZ's fastest ever selling beer called Dangers Lager.
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