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Steve Irwin has died

263 replies

humpydumpy · 04/09/2006 06:15

Just heard on the news that Steve Irwin "The Crocodile Hunter" has died in a diving accident. He was stung through the heart by a stingray.

His poor family.

OP posts:
Rhubarb · 04/09/2006 12:23

Funny this (not ha ha funny obv!) but whilst we were in France dh's mum said that Steve Irwin had died and we looked on the internet but found no mention of it, however she was sure! She also said it was an accident, thought he had been attacked by a croc though.
I wonder if she had predicted it?

ja9 · 04/09/2006 12:33

really sad news.

ilovecaboose · 04/09/2006 12:55

and just to echo what most other people have said.

His poor wife and kids.

Nemo1977 · 04/09/2006 13:03

heard this on the news before in the car and was a little shocked[dont know why as he did a dangerous thing for career]

thinking of his family especially kids.

wannaBe1974 · 04/09/2006 13:09

I think it's always a tradgedy when someone dies prematurely, I don't think anyone deserves to die that young, but I have to say that I'm not really that surprised to hear that Steve Irwin was killed doing what he does. In fact when I said this morning to dh that he had been killed he said "what was he eaten by".

Steve Irwin worked with wild animals, not only for television but he grew up with them. He was catching croccodiles long before he started making tv programmes, he didn't do things the way he did for tv, that was the kind of person he was, as many of his friends have confirmed. A friend confirmed on the radio this morning that his father was actually worried about him when he was younger, that his wreckless approach would get him into trouble one day. Wild animals are unpredictable, he probably knew that he would likely meet his end at the hands of an animal, he probably thought a croccodile or snake.

HRHQueenOfQuotes · 04/09/2006 13:14

PT - that link gives pure speculation about how it happened - doesn't say that they "deliberately" cornered it.

mrs2shoes · 04/09/2006 13:24

very sad

hoppybird · 04/09/2006 13:29

I couldn't beleive this when I saw it on the news. I'm absolutely gutted, and it really brought a tear to my eye, I really feel for his wife and kids - 44 is no age to die.

Apart from all the programmes he did, when I think of him, what really stays in my mind is his description of when he first met and fell in love with Terri, saying "Our love just went BALLISITIC!", and how he said he was never as nervous in all his life as when he was standing at the altar with her, despite his work with dangerous animals. They seemed made for each other. So sad she was far from him when he died.

His amazing, genuine engaging enthusiasm for his work singled him out as a true one-off. He was a top bloke and a top Aussie.

R.I.P.

NomDePlume · 04/09/2006 13:34

He did lots of good stuff for conservation BUT he also pushed his luck many times for his 5 minutes of tv fame. Sadly I think an animal killing or seriously injuring him was kind of inevitable.

mummyto2littleprincess · 04/09/2006 13:36

steve irwin was a very brave man he was great i liked watching his show
he will be missed by loads
his poor wife dont know her husband is dead and his poor little children
and killed by a sting ray i didnt think they could hurt all

DaddyCool · 04/09/2006 13:37

how awful. a man with so much character and obvious joy for life to be killed so young.

gscrym · 04/09/2006 13:38

I remember watching him talking about when his mother died. He was so choked whilst talking to the cameras. I was welling up listening to him. I've had to explain to DS 4 seeing as he heard it on the news.

noddyholder · 04/09/2006 13:38

Is anyone else surprised at how much this has affected their children?My ds is really upset about it and he is 12 I didn't even realise he had really watched him much.

gscrym · 04/09/2006 13:39

I meant DS who's 4.

DumbledoresGirl · 04/09/2006 13:45

I have resisted saying this, but as the debate is going on, I feel compelled to comment.

Yes he was a great conservationist; a great educator, especially of children, about wildlife; a great presenter; fun to watch (although, let's face it, didn't we all sit there and say "That man must be nuts, he is going to die doing this one day"?); no doubt a great husband, father and all round great fellow.
And it is very sad that he has died at this young age, leaving a wife and children who must be devastated.

But...he knew the risks and knew what danger he was putting himself into. He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.

And I can never quite forgive him for holding his baby son whilst feeding a crocodile. That was showmanship of the worst kind and totally wrong of him. Ledodgyrobespierre said earlier: "it was his choice of career but there's lots of people who's choice of career involves dangerous machinery". Quite right. But you wouldn't hold your baby near dangerous machinery, would you?

DumbledoresGirl · 04/09/2006 13:46

When I told my children about this this morning, there was awed silence and then ds1 muttered "Like you kept saying mum, it was only a matter of time".

Seashells · 04/09/2006 13:56

I'd just like to say that my perception of Steve Irwin was one of a man who's aim in life first and foremost was to protect and conserve the worlds wildlife, not to be a tv celebrity, the only way in todays society to make people open their eyes, listen to you and become aware, is to shock them sometimes and this is why his shows were so brilliantly interesting, thrilling and shocking to watch, he wasn't just a thrill seeker (although you could see his pure enthusiasm shining through) or a foolish man, he wanted to educate and teach the world that alot of the myths about these so called dangerous animals simply aren't true, and instill a love of these animals, which he clearly has done in many children and adults alike across the globe. Would any of us have watched his shows if they weren't so close to the bone, and therefore not learnt what we now know about these creaures?
For this reason I find the 'it was inevitable' 'it's his own fault' type comments abit sad and thoughtless

PeachyClairHasBadHair · 04/09/2006 14:00

Whether or not you agree with someones career when someone passes it si time to consider their positive contributions, and this man made very many.

You wouldn't go to a funeral and be rude about someone, you'd celebrate the positive stuff: much the same ethic.

Gingerbear · 04/09/2006 14:02

He was a great bloke. Very sad.
Noddy, I think kids relate to him because of his enthusiasm and larger than life character. Imagine having him as a teacher! We would have learned 'Crikey - heaps'.
His greatest contribution was to make the world aware of the need for conservation of all creatures, not just the fluffy cute and cuddly ones.

sallystrawberry · 04/09/2006 14:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DumbledoresGirl · 04/09/2006 14:06

I did honour his achievements, but I am not at his funeral, am not speaking to his bereaved loved ones, and this is a public debating forum. I am just putting across my point of view. I am not meaning to be offensive to those of you who will miss him. I think he would actually be quite pleased in a way that he died as he did (though obviously not when he did).

wannaBe1974 · 04/09/2006 14:07

I think though that the references to him holding his baby when feeding a croccodile are a bt irelevant? they played an interview he did about that on 5 live this morning, and he said that he was in control of the situation at all times, they interviewed someone with whom he had clashed regularly about conservation issues, and that person had confirmed that the child was not at risk. Maybe a croc could have eaten the baby, but it didn't, so why bother to go on about it. We all cross woads with our babies every day, we all run the risk that a car could run over and kill our children, some of us even sit children on work surfaces while they do cooking, that child could slide over and burn themselves on the hob, but as a rule, nothing happens to them.

Greensleeves · 04/09/2006 14:08

I think even if there were a core of truth in these critical remarks about him, I can't see the point of them. He's dead, FFS. Give it a rest.

DumbledoresGirl · 04/09/2006 14:11

Was going to respond to wannaBe but then read Greensleeves' post and agree. The guy is dead. RIP and all that.

sallystrawberry · 04/09/2006 14:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.