Steve Irwin

[tamaradixon]

This is absolutely shocking, but yet, not. Here's a guy who taunted death on a daily basis. I just thought he would always be 'lucky'. Very very sad.

[zivvie]

It was the top/breaking news on Good Morning America. One of Steve's friends who was supposed to go diving with him later this week, had a possible explanation for the attack. He said that stingrays are normally pretty docile, but when a stingray has encountered a threatening presence (like a shark), and then the threat goes away, if another unfamiliar presence comes around, the stingray could think it's the threat again, and attack. The friend said that's the most likely scenario that happened with Steve.

RIP, and deepest condolences to his family.

[JDub]

Dang, this is sad. I always figured he'd get injured or something, but I never really expected to hear about him getting killed by something. I guess I'm just naive.

I always feel sad to hear a person has died very suddenly and left behind very young children.

I wonder how long it will take for his wife to make some sort of public statement. I'm sure a lot of people are waiting to hear her say something. Man, I'd HATE to have the media trailing me in a situation like this.

[pinkdog]

I wasn't a big fan of the guy, but this? This is terrible. Poor man. And what a crazy way to die...I wonder if it has ever happened before, like, in the history of the world, that a man has been spined by a stingray right directly into the heart?

I am a lot sadder about this than I ever would have expected I would be.

[Sunnyhorse]

On the radio this morning, the reporter said that there had been 17 such fatalities worldwide -- it's incredibly rare. The CNN account says he was just snorkeling when he passed over the ray, buried in the sand, and its barb came up and hit him. He and Terri seem like such plainspoken, down-to-earth, kindhearted people -- this is incredibly sad.

[abigail]

I'm fucking shocked . And sad . And this one bothers me. I don't know if it's because he was larger than life and that has now been silenced or because of the senseless manor of his death and how it could have been avoided. 44 yrs. old - Two small children 8 & 3, and poor Terri - she must be beside herself with grief .

One of the documentary people that was on the boat was interviewed by CNN and said that Steve was in very shallow water (4 ft.) with the camera person and the camera was rolling . Steve proceeded to float over the stingray which was on the bottom and the stingray got spooked and took it tail and hit him right in the chest . The camera woman who was filming didn't even realise that anyting happened until she saw blood on the water . Steve was just floating on the surface . She grabbed him , put him in the boat and drove him out to Croc 1 where they pulled him aboard . They called a medivac helicopter to meet them to land at a small island 30 mins away . They did CPR until they got to the island , but to no avail.

The barb ( which is like a bayonette ) hit him directly into the heart , shredding it and administering it's poison. He was dead instantly .

I'm so sorry this happened . I really liked the guy . Loved his antics , his energy , his lovable persona and his efforts for conservation and preservation of the worlds animals.

He will be missed . Rest in Peace CrocMan !

[JDub]

I hope they destroy the footage. No one needs to see that.

[abigail]

It's sickening and sad - but I'm glad he didn't know what happened and didn't have that horror of being scared and struggling <---- that would be unimaginable for me .


Oz News

YahooNewsU.S.A

YahooNewsAustralia

[Ripley]

I'm shocked. I'm shocked and so saddened.

I always compared Steve Irwin to Celine Dion. They're two celebrities who are kind of geeky and could be considered extremely annoying. And yet, because they're so clearly passionate and dedicated to their chosen profession, I always liked them for it.

Last year, TTMR and I went to Australia. On the flight over, I was talking to the Australian flight attendant about how excited I was to go, even though I didn't know too much about Australian culture except what I read before the trip. I mentioned Steve Irwin as somebody I knew, and she put both hands over her face and said, "Oh, no!" I get that he could be embarrassing for Aussies, but he was just so likable, there really is no need to be ashamed.

[Mutagen]

abigail said:

He was dead instantly .

I hate to suggest that there are any bright spots to this tragedy, but I suppose that is it.

On one of the news channels they had some expert on holding up a stingray barb. It was huge - I gasped when I saw it - it also made me fervently hope that Terri is shunning all TV because I think it would destroy me if I knew that went through my husband's heart.

A very sad day