RIP Steve Irwin.
Posted on 09/03/2006 9:29:57 PM PDT by lunarbicep
Edited on 09/04/2006 5:53:46 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
He was killed in a freak accident in Cairns, police sources said. It is understood he was killed by a sting-ray barb that went through his chest.
He was swimming off the Low Isles at Port Douglas filming an underwater documentary and that's when it occured.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
Prayers for his family's comfort and strength. He was a good guy and lived life to it's fullest.
It was a slower age when most homes got good reception on only two of the four channels.
Prayers for the family and I hope little Bindi wasn't to close to all that must have transpired.
I can't really say that I'm suprised, except that it was a sting ray. Still it's sad news.
I simply took exception to your notion that he had a death wish. I've seen people with death wishes, and they do things a lot differently from what Irwin did. I enjoyed watching the fact that even if he got lashed by a croc's tail, or nearly bitten by a poisonous snake, he didn't get mad a the critter, because he knew they were just doing what they do. He may have enjoyed the danger and the adrenalin rush, but I think Death Wish is pushing the point.
The one time I saw him get mad at a critter, he didn't lash out at it. He removed himself from the situation until he could think clearly again.
I have been sitting here in shock, and my children are devastated. The world had lost someone who has taught us more about wildlife than the rest of them combined. I never knew a croc from a gator until Steve came into my living room 8 years ago. May the Lord be with Teri, Bindi and Bob during this absolutely horrible time. I feel like a family member has been snatched from us.
I'm sure it's happened but rather the "usually," it's a rarity (after all, how did they become veterans?) And truthfully, it's been just the opposite in my experience FRiend. It's the young -I'm-invicible-and-will-live-forever- that take the unnecessary risks. Sometimes with fatal results.
Let's see what pans out. He may have been messing with foul tempered ray or he could have been just swimming along close to the bottom and suprised a ray in the sand.
R
Thanks for finding something we can agree on. I'll say that he was a good guy in general, at least from what I could see from where I sit.
You're also correct in pointing out that I don't know what was going on in his head, but I'm going to stick to my point: either he was motivated by some kind of thing having to do with risk, (adrenaline, maybe?) or he just simply believed that he couldn't be hurt.
My dad was like that when he was young but his immune tolerance wore down when he got older.
It really surprised him the first time he got a poison oak breakout.
"What's insane is that some people's first thought apparently is the hope of an instant replay."
What's really insane are lame comebacks that suppose out of ignorance that any persons first thought would be the hope of an instant replay. My first thought and post was this was sad.
This is likely the case...I have had a very active immune system, and it certainly can change over time.
I really don't get myself into those situations much any longer since my retirement, and I would not depend on it to still be resistant. however, I still use Benydril daily to keep my immune system from attacking my healthy cells. It is the only thing that is fairly cheap and seems to work.
On the flip side, a mosquito will cause a rather large swelling, and chiggers and fire ants are almost deadly to me. The scars last for years.
Off topic a little, but the reaction to poison ivy is an allergic reaction, the body's immune system overreacting to the irritant. An individual won't react to poison ivy on their first exposure, but after the antibodies are built up in the system, they will. Some people go many years without reacting to poison ivy, then become allergic. Even if you have never reacted, it's best to avoid it.
A man in our area got pulled ALL THE WAY THROUGH a big wood chipper three weeks ago. I'd rather be swimming in beautiful, warm waters and have a deadly encounter with a stingray.
"i always knew he would be killed by a wild animal though"
Hmmmm... I always thought,(hoped), that he would die peacefully in his sleep after a very long and full life... : / Rest in peace Steve.
They are only deadly if you take a barb to the chest, apparently. We have been in the water with hundreds of stingrays. We've even fed them. They are beautiful.
It's a heck of a way to learn some animal physiology. The reports of the accident have been all over the place and only on FR has it been made clear that the barb is hard, narrow, and pointed and could stab into the ribcage.
There you go.
By Jamie Hyneman with a ball-peen hammer to the temple.
I know what Rush is going to say today. Same thing he said about the Roy incident. -- animals are animals, they will act the way they are supposed to act. Oh Gee, thanks Rush. I had no idea.
I lean toward the adrenaline rush idea myself. I don't rule out the idea that he just felt some connection with these animals and wanted to participate in life with them, get close to their energy or something. I think he respected their ability to do damage to him, at least the big ones. Who knows? He may not have even seen the one that got him. Isn't that how it goes?
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