Steve "crocodile Hunter" Irwin Dies

[Nemo]

He died doing what he loved, I just hate that he was taken from his family.

*********************

Daredevil Irwin dies doing what he loved

September 4, 2006 - 2:24PM

Wildlife warrior Steve Irwin was a daredevil who loved flirting with danger around deadly animals.

But after years of close shaves it was a normally harmless stingray which finally claimed his life on Monday, plunging a barb into the Crocodile Hunter's chest as he snorkelled in shallow water on the Great Barrier Reef.

The 44-year-old TV personality may have died instantly when struck by the stingray while filming a sequence for his eight-year-old daughter Bindi's new TV series, friends believe.

"You think about all the documentaries we've made and all the dangerous situations that we have been in, you always think `is this it, is this a day that maybe his demise?'," said his friend and manager John Stainton.

"(But) nothing would ever scare Steve or would worry him. He didn't have a fear of death at all."

Mr Irwin made his international reputation wrestling crocodiles and snakes.

But the flamboyant naturalist's final confrontation with a wild animal occurred at Batt Reef off Port Douglas on Monday morning, where he had been filming a new documentary, "Ocean's Deadliest".

Taking time off from the main project, Mr Irwin was swimming in shallow water, snorkelling as his cameraman filmed large bull rays.

"He came over the top of a stingray and the stingray's barb went up and went into his chest and put a hole into his heart," said Mr Irwin's friend and manager John Stainton.

"It's likely that he possibly died instantly when the barb hit him, and I don't think that he ... felt any pain.

"He died doing what he loved best."

Mr Irwin's death was only the third known stingray death in Australian waters, said shark and stingray expert Victoria Brims.

Wildlife experts said the normally passive creatures only sting in defence, striking with a bayonet-like barb when they feel threatened.

Marine documentary maker Ben Cropp, who spoke to one of Mr Irwin's crew, said: "Steve got probably maybe a bit too close to the ray, and with the cameraman in front, the ray must have felt sort of cornered.

"It went into a defensive mode, stopped, turned around and lashed out with its tail, which has a considerable spike on it.

"Unfortunately Steve was directly in its path and he took a fatal wound."

Unconscious, Mr Irwin was pulled aboard his research vessel, Croc One, for a 30-minute dash to Low Isle, where an emergency helicopter had been summoned at about 11am, his Australia Zoo said in a statement.

The crew of the Croc One performed constant CPR during the voyage to Low Isle, but medical staff pronounced Mr Irwin dead about noon.

Mr Irwin's body was flown to a morgue in Cairns, where stunned family and friends were gathering on Monday night.

His American-born wife Terri was told of her husband's death while on a walking tour in Tasmania, and returned to the Sunshine Coast with her two children, Bindi and three-year-old son Bob.

The death of the larger than life Mr Irwin, best known for his catchcry "Crikey!", caused shockwaves around the world, leading TV bulletins in the United States and Britain.

He was one of Australia's best known personalities internationally and an ambassador for the nation and its wildlife.

Mr Irwin was also a global phenomenon, making almost 50 documentaries which appeared on the cable TV channel Animal Planet, and which generated books, interactive games and even toy action figures.

Prime Minister John Howard said: "I am quite shocked and distressed at Steve Irwin's sudden, untimely and freakish death. It's a huge loss to Australia.

"He was a wonderful character. He was a passionate environmentalist. He brought joy and entertainment and excitement to millions of people."

Mourners laid flowers at the entrance of Mr Irwin's Australia Zoo, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Mr Stainton said bad weather had stopped the filming for their documentary about some of the world's deadliest sea creatures.

Mr Irwin instead decided on a whim to shoot footage for his daughter Bindi's upcoming series.

"He said 'I might just go off and shoot some segments for Bindi's show, just stuff on the reef and little animals," Mr Stainton said.

"I just said fine, anything that would keep him moving and keep his adrenalin going.

"The next thing I heard on the radio was there was a medical emergency, the little dinghy he was in was bringing him back with the crew.

"Everyone tried absolutely tirelessly to revive him to keep him alive, we cut dinghies loose and made it post haste to Low Isle where we knew the chopper would be able to get in, but I think it's possible he probably died at 11am."

Diver Pete West was on a nearby boat and believed Mr Irwin may have been alive when pulled from the water.

"He was doing what he did best and unfortunately today he wasn't quick enough," he told the Seven Network.

University of Melbourne expert Bryan Fry said stingrays only sting in defence.

"They're not aggressive animals so the animal must have felt threatened. It didn't sting out of aggression, it stung out of fear," said Dr Fry, deputy director of the Australian Venom Research.

He said the stingray would have been up to 2.5 metres across, with a "formidable" jagged barb up to 20cm long, capable of tearing flesh.

"It's not the going in, it's the coming out," Dr Fry said of the serrated barb.

But the stingray's venom would not have been a factor.

Mr Irwin was comfortable around animals, no matter how dangerous, and some wildlife experts warned he took too many risks.

His enthusiasm and daring made him famous.

The Melbourne-born father of two's Crocodile Hunter program was first broadcast in 1992 and has been shown around the world on cable network Discovery.

He also starred in movies and helped develop the Australia Zoo wildlife park, north of Brisbane, which was started by his parents Bob and Lyn Irwin.

He grew up near crocodiles, trapping and removing them from populated areas and releasing them in his parents' park, which he took over in 1991.

Bob was involved in a controversial incident in January 2004, when his father held his infant son in one arm as he fed a dead chicken to a crocodile at Australia Zoo.

Child welfare and animal rights groups criticised his actions as irresponsible and tantamount to child abuse.

Mr Irwin said any danger to his son was only a perceived danger and that he was in complete control of the situation.

In June 2004, Mr Irwin came under fire again when it was alleged he came too close to and disturbed some whales, seals and penguins while filming a documentary in Antarctica.

Mr Irwin was also a tourism ambassador and was heavily involved in last year's "G'Day LA" tourism campaign.

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said Mr Irwin was an "extraordinary man".

"He has made an enormous difference to his state and his country," he said.

[Merlin Orr]

What a shame!

The guy was a stud for sure...and a very funny person.

[j2fast]

I was stunned when I saw this news this morning; I really enjoyed his varios TV shows/appearances. He knew his profession inside and out and showed a unending love for the animals and people around him.

As Merlin said, this is truly a shame.

[Vlad]

It is sad, ironic, a tragedy for his family, but also .... Do you guys think he would have prefered to go in his bed or this way? I don't know the guy, and maybe I'm wrong, but I think that given a choice he would have prefered it this way.

[Sam]

Were all gonna die.

It's how we live that matters.

Great life, Steve Irwin! Great life!

[SiG Lady]

It's how we LIVE that matters.

Boy, you got that right.

Gawd, whatta loss, though. They broke the mold when they made HIM.

His wife is from here in Eugene......

[XRe]

I've been bummed about it since I heard But... yeah, what Sam said...

[Chris Keen]

I agree with Vlad.

An untimely death to be sure, but thats what he loved doing.

I had a relative who loved to sail. Even at 75 he would sail almost daily, often by himself. Well, one day he was out sailing and he had a heart attack. Our family was upset to say the least, but comforted by knowing he died doing what he loved most in life.

[CSEMARTIN]

Several years ago while watching his show, I looked over at my wife and said, "That guy is going to get himself killed one of these days". It's a shame. He was a likeable guy, but he really was an idiot- now he will be a candidate for a Darwin Award.

[Malak]

hats off to great person. he will be missed

[Mayonaise]

Mess with a bull, expect the horns.

My wife has worked with great apes for 20 years. Everytime this guy came on TV she just shook her head. Sorry, I don't feel sorry for the guy. Like AD's it's wasn't a matter of IF, it was a matter of WHEN.

[BritinUSA]

...now he will be a candidate for a Darwin Award.

No he won't, eligibility is based on getting killed BEFORE passing on your genes to the next generation.

Either way it's a tragic way to go and I feel terrible for his family. From the news reports they were just getting some shots for his daughters TV show. There have only been three recorded incidents of deaths by stingray, he probably let his guard down for a fraction of a second and that's all it took.

A terrible way to go; Underwater with a hole in your heart !!!

[Nemo]

It is ironic he wasn't killed by a croc or a snake, so he wasn't "messing with the bull". Just think this could happen to any of us just having a day at the beach.

The guy taught more people about Aussie (and other places) wildlife and to respect dangerous fauna, than hundreds of research biologists would after a lifetime of publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Were all gonna die.

It's how we live that matters.

Great life, Steve Irwin! Great life!

I agree completely Sam!

[SiG Lady]

CNN is massively all over this story. We'll hear about it locally, too, as his wife is from Eugene.

I suspect the water was too shallow for a human to be lurking atop a sting-ray (especially a big one)... Though the rays are notoriously docile (friendly, even, in some cases), the ray probably had insufficient elbow-room to feel secure and got really nervous.

Yes, he took risks, but he was a helluvan educator.

[TBeazlie]

I dunno, there comes a time when a man needs to grow up, and be more responsible--like when you have a wife and two kids. He is not the one that will suffer in all of this. His wife I'm sure knew the risk, but those two kids may never remember their dad except as seen in reruns. Sad all in all.

[Pierruiggi]

It's a sad day... Regardless of his methods, like other people have said, he gave a new approach to wildlife documentaries, and got people interested in them.

How ironic that he got killed while on a break of filming a documentary called "ocean's deadliest", and in a suposedly low risk situation.

I think he would've felt better if his demise was at the jaws of a crocodile or something...

[XRe]

I dunno, there comes a time when a man needs to grow up, and be more responsible--like when you have a wife and two kids.

So, I guess when you have a wife and 2 kids you also ought to stop riding motorcycles, shooting guns, drinking booze and coffee, eating sugar, or working any job with more danger than a paper cut, too...

Whether you agree with the man's chosen profession or not, or the risks he took as part of trying to further natural conservation and protection through education... the man lived life to its fullest, without a doubt. Call him a fool, if you want, or whatever... to me, the fool is he who chooses not to really live.... and Steve Irwin definitely was not that fellow.

[Shawn Knight]

He was one of the coolest most extreme people I have ever seen on TV. He put all those other "Xtreme" people to shame. Frickin' Stingrays! God Speed Steve!

[John Heiter]

If a croc or a snake had gotten him there might have been some weight to the argument that he was playing with the bull but swimming with stingrays? Thousands of people do that every year on tourist dives and no one gets seriously injured. The only thing this proves is that when it's your time it's your time and all you can do is live your life the way you want to live it until it is your time. This guy did that to the extreme so my condolences to the family but good for you Steve Irwin.

[Gameplayer]

Whether you agree with the man's chosen profession or not, or the risks he took as part of trying to further natural conservation and protection through education... the man lived life to its fullest, without a doubt. Call him a fool, if you want, or whatever... to me, the fool is he who chooses not to really live.... and Steve Irwin definitely was not that fellow.

Well said.

[CSEMARTIN]

I think the stories we've heard thus far are a bunch of b.s. I'll bet he was down there grabbing on to that stingray right before it launched it's poisonous barb into his heart. I'll bet he even said, "Oh, Crikey." right before he lost consciousness.

I don't care that he has already passed along his gene pool, I still say he should be a candidate for a Darwin Award- just for not having anymore kids.

And yes, he was messing with the bull! Quit feeling sorry for him. He got what was coming to him. It was just a matter of time!

I do feel bad for his wife and kids though....................

If you're one of Irwin's kids, and several years from now you take up shooting instead of handling deadly animals, and if you find your way to this forum and find this post after performing a search on Steve Irwin, I apologize for being so insensitive. Your dad was a great man, he just didn't have any common sense!

Edited September 4, 2006 by CSEMARTIN

[wgnoyes]

Quoting the Hate Forum Guidelines

In a nutshell - Rebuttals are not permitted.

If you cannot contribute supportively, please do not reply at all.

[sandman_sy]

At least he lived a life he loved... Makes me think about my life :(

[shred]

Even when grabbed stingrays aren't violent.. I've swam with swarms of 'em a number of times. Freak chance in my book. Every so often you have to swat or grab one that's being annoying...

[tightloop]

What a freakish accident....