When my cousin popped online and told me Steve Irwin had died, I couldn't believe it. I totally love this guy. I've got countless memories of him doing some of the craziest things I've ever seen. The way he handled God's creatures with love and care, and his passion for educating others about each and every animal. You could truly feel his empathy for animals.I remember him battling with a rattle snake, and he almost got bit right in the nuts, but he finally managed to pick him up -- just so that he could transplant the thing to a safer area -- further into the outback and away from the road. Risking his life for the good of an animal, one that tried to kill him.
Every time I watched this guy, and I'm sure you'll all agree, his passion and his determination was truly amazing to see. He'd have some deadly reptile pinned down, and while carefully moving it to show the camera, he'd be, at the same time, careful not to allow it to KILL him, and then spend a good 4-5 minutes explaining all the intricacies of this creature, where it came from, what it's thinking, lifespan, its unique features. You might think of him as an entertainer, a dare-devil, maybe a crazy man. A But I think what separates him from others is that the others are more thrill-seekers, whereas Steve Irwin was a guy who was just trying to teach us the amazing things about each animal. He knew things that we couldn't just read from a book because he'd experienced them hands-on. He loved animals and wanted the world to see how amazing they were.
Well, it breaks my heart but blogger died, as it usually does when you hit that "Publish Post" button. I had a few more great pictures of him but you can thank Google's blogger for screwed it all up.
Rest in peace, Steve.
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3 comments:
Good post... I was definitely as shocked as you were...
I had the good fortune/privilege of seeing him LIVE when I went down to Australia in March 2005. He's usually travelling in the States, but when I went to visit his he happened to come back for Easter. It was totally awesome--we got to see him wrestle some crocs, but most of all it definitely gave you a sense of appreciation for these dangerous, yet endangered creatures. I can send you some pictures...
It's a bit ironic the way he died though--you might have thought that he would have been eaten by a croc or somethin'. Some people have unfairly accused him of doing something that provoked the stingray to sting him. I think it was a freak accident that happened mainly 'cause he was out of his natural element. In a moment where he might have let his guard down, he died at the hands of something that wounds, but rarely kills anyone. Tragic.
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