Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin Dies at age 44

[El Pirata]

It's official he died yesterday. My daughter was devistated when she found out. She loved him so much she was a Crocodile Hunter for the past 2 halloweens and wants to be a crocodile hunter when she grows up.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/09/0...rwin/index.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060904/ap_on_...n_tv/obit_irwin

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14663786/

[Red-Handed Jill]

Crikey! I just heard about it as well. At least he lived his life to the fullest; it's a shame he died so young, though.

[Cap'n Pete Straw]

Crikey! I just heard about it as well. At least he lived his life to the fullest; it's a shame he died so young, though.

My sentiments exactly (even the "Crikey!").

However, I cannot imagine he would have been more satisfied going in any other way than by an encounter with a deadly venomous animal. Poisonous spine directly into the heart? That, my friends, is a death.

But the world is a smaller place without Irwin and his advocacy of wildlife.

[Christine]

CRIKEY! I heard about this last night and now it's everywhere!

How sad and horrible, but it would seem the laws of averages caught up with him. I feel bad for his family. Hopefully they finally got the news to his wife. She was out trekking somewhere in Australia and it was hard to get a hold of her.

[El Pirata]

Yeah, I read they had informed Terri and she was returning home to the Australia Zoo. She has also told the children of his death. When I think his daughter Sue is 8 and my daughter is 8 also, holy shit, reality check.

[Captain Midnight]

Aye, it is indeed a sad loss. Crikey! He will be missed!

[Rogue Mermaid]

It broke my heart when I heard. He was such a wonderful person who gave everything to help animals. It truely is sad. I wore a black armband at the Renn Faire today, but I don't think anyone made the connection.

[El Pirata]

I was hoping the Army will give me off for brievement tomorrow however, I have the unfortunate title of being "mission essencial" tomorrow.

[Christine]

Here's some interesting news I learned, stingray deaths are extremely rare. Most likely, unheard of. There's really only been about 3 other deaths ever reported, it's an extremely rare thing. Stingrays are not known to attack like that at all. It must have been provoked in order for that to happen.

He must have cornered the thing, wrestled it and then held it up, "Look at this beauty, ain't she a great......CRIKEY!!!!"

But seriously, this is a rare thing so one must wonder what he did to make it attack him like that. Pierced thru the heart, wow, how

horrible!

[Caraccioli]

However, I cannot imagine he would have been more satisfied going in any other way than by an encounter with a deadly venomous animal. Poisonous spine directly into the heart? That, my friends, is a death.

That's about the way I'd figure it.

People who live their lives on the edge frequently die on the edge. I knew a guy who loved high places; rock climbing, rooftops - I once saw him walking on the railing on the edge of a 21 story building just for a kick. He fell to his death while rock climbing without any equipment. If he had thought much about his death (which I think was unlikely), I suspect that would have been about the way he would have figured it to go.

Those folks are like shooting stars - all bright and shiny as they enter the atmosphere, burning themselves up as they head for the inevitable collision.

[Rogue Mermaid]

But seriously, this is a rare thing so one must wonder what he did to make it attack him like that. Pierced thru the heart, wow, how

horrible!

According to the associated press he didn't do anything. Though with Steve, I know that is hard to believe...

Here's the link:

http://entertainment.tv.yahoo.com/entnews/...5745712000.html

[Sealegs Constance]

When I heard the news I was Shocked I thought my father-in-law was teasing us. Crickey what a way to go. I will miss him and so will my kids.

[Christine]

I seriously doubt this is the way he'd want to die. Pierced thru the heart by a stingray? Come on! Thrill seekers don't even think about their own death, they think they're immortal or something and just think they'll keep going.

[Rumba Rue]

I was stunned when I heard it. He will be greatly missed.

[Black Bess]

He was a good man, and he died doing what he loved.

Wow, what a way to go.

I admit, a few tears came to my eyes as I saw him break down when he discussed his mother in an interview. What a sensitive, great man.

[Christine]

But seriously, this is a rare thing so one must wonder what he did to make it attack him like that.  Pierced thru the heart, wow, how

horrible! 

According to the associated press he didn't do anything. Though with Steve, I know that is hard to believe...

Here's the link:

http://entertainment.tv.yahoo.com/entnews/...5745712000.html

I just watched a news report and what pretty much happened is the stingray felt threatened. By having the tv crew and Steve all so close it felt trapped. When Steve reached for it, it lashed out and got him in the heart. Ugh, geez, that is so painful!

[El Pirata]

I was haze gray and underway today so that gave a lot of time for reflection. My daughter was devistated yesterday when she heard and was a mess for most of the day. I really can't believe he's gone. I have more emotion over this one TV character than I have over anyone outside of my immediate family dying.

I remember treasure hunting when I was a few years younger in the jungle and in the ocean. While wildlife was a benefit of these treks it was not a primary goal. I felt lucky moreso when I saw wildlife on these treks than when I found stuff of monetary value. Well not really, each had their benefit and both were rewarding.

I think Steve embodied what I have wanted always, to live life to it's fullest. I hate to say it being stuck in the US for the past 7 years has not done anything to make me feel young and skipper about treking through the jungles. It seems like a lifetime ago and Steve was helping keep that life alive. I know I am stuck here until my daughter graduates from high school in 10 years and by then I'll be in my mid 40's which will be a bit older than I would have liked to start working down there but still not too old that I can't do it anymore.

Vaya con Dios Steve

[William Blydes]

It’s sad to say, but I guess that FedEx commercial he did years ago was a tad prophetic.

The one where he is standing over a snake telling the cameral how particularly venomous it was…. Then it bites him in the leg.

He looks at the camera and says that it’s alright since serum was sent via FedEx.

Someone off camera says it wasn’t there since they shipped using some other carrier.

He looks at the camera, gives a “Crickey” and falls over.

This was the first time I had seen Erwin. Couldn’t believe he was real.

That guy was bigger than life.

[El Pirata]

It’s sad to say, but I guess that FedEx commercial he did years ago was a tad prophetic.

The one where he is standing over a snake telling the cameral how particularly venomous it was…. Then it bites him in the leg.

He looks at the camera and says that it’s alright since serum was sent via FedEx.

Someone off camera says it wasn’t there since they shipped using some other carrier.

He looks at the camera, gives a “Crickey” and falls over.

This was the first time I had seen Erwin. Couldn’t believe he was real.

That guy was bigger than life.

I loved that fedex commercial. Unfortunately I only saw it once and was always looking for a digital copy of the commercial.

[Captain Jim]

As a wildlife biologist and ecologist I have had the opportunity to handle my fair share of wild animals, especially snakes and alligators. In training people for field work I would use Steve's shows as examples of what not to do while handling wild animals. The one thing that most people don't have that Steve did was commitment: he never grabbed something with the thought in his head that he could maybe let go if things didn't work out. When he commited to jumping on a croc's back it was all the way and for keeps. Most people are tentative, and that gets them hurt. Mind you, I have the greatest respect for Steve and his gifts, but most people should not try this at home.

I always thought that he would die in the jaws or claws of something large, toothy and powerful, not in a freak accident with a stingray. I too will miss him and his "training" films.

[LongTom]

I seriously doubt this is the way he'd want to die. Pierced thru the heart by a stingray? Come on! Thrill seekers don't even think about their own death, they think they're immortal or something and just think they'll keep going.

As deaths go, that one was not too bad. My next-door neighbor died about a year ago, taken by a rare form of bone cancer. The course of the illness took about five years, involving several bouts of radiation and chemotherapy and relapse, an amputated leg, increasingly extreme pain-relief medication, and a final mortality episode lasting a number of weeks before finally being released to eternal bliss. Given a choice between something like that and being caught by surprise while doing something I love best and having it all over before I really knew what hit me... I'd take the stingray, thank you very much.

Now, you want to consider a gruesome and genuinely stupid death, try Timothy Treadwell. Eaten (yes, eaten, literally) by a grizzly bear, and IIRC he had the good grace to get his girlfriend eaten too. Nice job, Tim.

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

No, the dedicated just accept that their death is inevitable, and think on it no more. Would that we all could die doing that which we love. He certainly didn't know it would be a stingray, but in his conscience, he knew it would be in his work.

[lady snow]

Here's some interesting news I learned, stingray deaths are extremely rare. Most likely, unheard of. There's really only been about 3 other deaths ever reported, it's an extremely rare thing. Stingrays are not known to attack like that at all. It must have been provoked in order for that to happen.

He must have cornered the thing, wrestled it and then held it up, "Look at this beauty, ain't she a great......CRIKEY!!!!"

But seriously, this is a rare thing so one must wonder what he did to make it attack him like that. Pierced thru the heart, wow, how

horrible!

according to a report i read, stingfrays attack only when they feel threatened and steve was swimming over the ray and the cameraman settled down right in front of it. they said the ray may have felt trapped and they was why it attacked.

i am going to miss him so much. bindi is 8 and bob is 2. my son was 10 days short of 10 when his father died. i hope they get all the support they need and they are really going to need it.

[Christine]

Here's some interesting news I learned, stingray deaths are extremely rare.  Most likely, unheard of.  There's really only been about 3 other deaths ever reported, it's an extremely rare thing.  Stingrays are not known to attack like that at all.  It must have been provoked in order for that to happen. 

He must have cornered the thing, wrestled it and then held it up, "Look at this beauty, ain't she a great......CRIKEY!!!!" 

But seriously, this is a rare thing so one must wonder what he did to make it attack him like that.  Pierced thru the heart, wow, how

horrible! 

according to a report i read, stingfrays attack only when they feel threatened and steve was swimming over the ray and the cameraman settled down right in front of it. they said the ray may have felt trapped and they was why it attacked.

i am going to miss him so much. bindi is 8 and bob is 2. my son was 10 days short of 10 when his father died. i hope they get all the support they need and they are really going to need it.

Yes, I know. I also already mentioned that as well after watching a news report on it.

[Kidd Dread]

dread thoughts....

being around asians for most of my growin' up years

i learned that many believe that some of us are here on

a short loan. meant to be examples and bring attention to

a subject that some how was being missed by the rest of us.

when this is done, its time fror their departure.

i remember an old friend,

a filipino man i called uncle maldonado,

at the time he was teaching me filipino martial arts.

when he found out bruce lee died, he said:

"too much, too soon".

...he had a mission, he was done with it.

i believe that irwin had a mission, he was done with it!

he will be missed by many of you and myself...

i read his death was quick and that he didnt suffer...

... now if there is a heaven, he is up there saying:

"crikey! explain how this happened again?"

...rest in peace steve!