Steve Irwin

[Deleted]

RIP

He was doing what he loved.

I remember when I was diving off Port Douglas two years ago (I am going back this December) we were warned about Stingrays. Not to touch them or get to close. The briefing gave the impression that the Stingray's sting was painful rather than deadly. There seemed to be more concern about jellyfish up in the reef waters off Port Douglas.

But I guess any piercing of the heart is dangerous.

[cowabunga]

I'm Australian and I admit that I've always been rather embarrassed by the image Steve Irwin perpetuated of Australians to foreigners and the mere mention of his name usually elicits a groan, and it was only when I heard this news that I realised how proud I actually was to have him as an Aussie! He did some amazing work for animals and the environment.

Man, can I just say a big amen. I am so in the same boat. I always kind of liked the guy, he seemed genuine and very real... but I too got a tad embarrassed about the way that it portrayed Australians. Even though there are lots of Aussies like him (I know many, heh) I can definitely relate to the groaning. But man, I too didn't realise how proud I was to have him as an Aussie until I heard he was dead - I just felt sick to my stomach.

I just finished watching the re-run of his interview on Enough Rope and dude, I'll totally admit to getting way sniffly. It was an interview from 2003, a really great interview. The way he was talking about his little girl and his wife, man, it was heartbreaking to watch in retrospect. It was also eerie hearing Andrew Denton (the host) asking him about his gift with animals and how he seems to be able to interact with dangerous animals in a way that others can't. Aw, man and when he was talking about his parents too. It is so shocking to me that someone so full of life... who less than 15 hours ago, was running around, organising a project for his daughter - is now dead.

As for him being irresponsible and not reeling it in for his wife and daughter because it was dangerous - they were as much into that as he was. Steve grew up in that environment, although for most people that seems reckless, to him that was just every day life. In the interview that I was just watching, the host asked him what he fears and if he fears animals and he said (rather eloquently I might add) that people terrify him and that he is scared to raise his daughter in this world, but animals don't scare him at all. He also asked him whether he would give it all up for his wife and he said that he absolutely would, because he knows that she wouldn't ask him to do it unless there was a bloody good reason - but that she was just as passionate about his cause as he was. So I really don't think that they perceived their lifestyle as dangerous, to them it was just natural. Not to mention that it wasn't even a deadly animal that killed him, it was a freak incident. I just saw on the news when they were talking to a stingray expert, that he has only found 30 other cases of this happening in the world.

[Binky]

It seems though that he died while filming the relatively harmless stingray for a documentary for his daughter.

For his daughter? Oh, that poor little girl. I hope she never learns that.

[whatever]

I feel sorry for his wife and kids.

As for him - I feel about his death the same way I do the guy who filmed grizzly bears all his life in Alaska, and who was mauled to death along with his girlfriend - I'm rolling my eyes. We can't be shocked or surprised too much at this. Clearly some animal was going to kill him one day - these are not tame creatures. Luckily in this case, no innocent bystanders got taken down as well.

[cowabunga]

Somehow I think she sadly will. It is all over the news that he basically died helping his daughter. His two biggest passions I guess, animals and family. But yeah, I imagine that that will get harder and harder to process for the poor girl as she gets older.

[Deleted]

For his daughter? Oh, that poor little girl. I hope she never learns that.

I think I read that it was for his daughter's show they were producing.

[littleblacksheep]

think I read that it was for his daughter's show they were producing.

Yeah that's right. I should have been clearer in how I wrote it.

[Witchie]

I can't believe he's gone, but if he had to go, this was the way. He was doing what he loved.

RIP, Crocodile Hunter!

You'll be missed.

[JDub]

I agree that he is sweet with his dorkiness. My kid has a Wiggles DVD that he's featured on, Wiggly Safari, and I decided to put it in. He is so totally passionate about the animals. Bindi is in the video too, and it's just soooo sweet. It really makes me want to cry, because I hate to think of little kids having to deal with the fact that "daddy's not coming home anymore".

[zambonigirl]

I know people who hate him, and those who loved him. He was interesting, and very informed about animals. I have to say that I've never really seen him put himself into any overt danger. Everything always seemed as controlled as it possibly could be.

I always figured a big Croc would kill him, though. Either that, or a really poisonous snake. With all the dangerous beasties he's handled, it's almost anticlimactic that he went so quickly and bloodlessly.

And I think I'm going to hell for saying that, but that was my first thought. But RIP. He was amazing.