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 ...
Hear hear.
Exactly. His schtick was interacting with dangerous animals. That entails an inherent risk---and the odds catch up to you.
It is believed Mr Irwin's American-born wife Terri is trekking on Cradle Mountain in Tasmania and has yet to be told of her husband's death.
This is horrible. She's going to be among the last to know.
I might add that he was a disarming and charming character who truly loved the creatures he brought into our homes.....as no doubt he was loved by his audience.
The more this sinks in, the more it upsets me. Steve Irwin was a one of kind and will be greatly missed.
A conch? Maybe you're thinking of a cone shell.
You have to be kidding. I would think that mountain would have all kinds of helicopters going and and short wave radio trying to get to her.
Man that is bad.
Great showman and brave dude. I will miss him.
Apparently his wife doesn't know yet. She's climbing a mountain somewhere.
How awful. Hope they can contact her somehow. May her husband RIP.
Tragic loss of Aussie icon
September 04, 2006 02:28pm
Article from: The Courier Mail: Tragic loss of Aussie iconHE dealt daily with all manner of dangerous creatures ... giant crocodiles, poisonous snakes, komodo dragons ... but it was a less obvious hazard that claimed the life of Steve Irwin.
Irwin had taken calculated risks with all sorts of wildlife for decades, relying on his knowledge of animal behaviour and personal experience to beat the odds.
For someone who spent so much time around killer animals, Irwin seemed to leave a charmed life.
So his demise was all the more shocking because it apparently involved a stingray, an animal regarded as dangerous but not as a killer.
It is understood that Irwin was swimming off the Low Isles off Port Douglas filming a documentary, a task Irwin has carried out on countless occasions.
Yet this time, Irwin, ever so careful around danger, was taken unawares when, apparently, a sting ray he was filming struck out with its tail, the venomous barbs fatally embedding in his chest.
The death brought to an end a career that began with his father's Sunshine Coast theme park and developed into an international empire in which Irwinwas a globally recognised brand.
Working with his American-born wife Terri, and later, children his Bindi and Bob, the Irwin phenomenon continued to grow.
He was as recognised in the USA as he was here, and was one of the best-known Australians on the planet.
Irwin's catchcry "Crikey!" also became famous as he came face to fang with animals across the globe, the knockabout Australian in khakis delighting audiences in how he survived encounter after encounter. Irwin's fame was legendary - one story related to staff at a US studio headquarters who had become completely blase about stars in their presence - until Irwin turned up.
Then, the story went, whole floors of the building emptied as the staff headed for Irwin to shake his hand and get his autograph.
The high profile also brought with it some downsides - Irwin was astonished and hurt when he was criticised for taking his baby son Bob into a crocodile enclosure during one of his shows. The incident, which captured worldwide headlines, led to a slight dulling of Irwin's star but his popularity recovered. Irwin's face was important to Australian tourism and his image was used by the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service to stress the importance of protecting Australia.
He also campaigned to protect crocodiles, the creature that made him legendary, after the Northern Territory government proposed a resumption of croc hunting in the top end.
Yup. A few years back some gal here in the PNW died skydiving. It was her 106th jump.
Chute didn't open and backup failed.
He loved what he did and loved to entertain.
It is like having the Red Skeleton of the Animal Entertainment world passing away from a tragedy at an early age IMO.
I thought he was crazy. I'm surprised it took this long. It's sad for his family. They probably thought he was invincible.
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You're assuming an awful lot, there, FRiend. Some of us, like myself, simply admired his love of what he did, and while it was inevitable that something like this would happen, we still hate to see that it did. Please try to break through some of that cynicism.
Actually, they seem curious, I've never heard of one being aggressive unless threatened. I suspect Steve may have swum over one while it was resting on the bottom, or buried in sand, and it reacted on reflex. They are not vicious critters.
Very sad. I have actually been to Port Douglas. Very beautiful. And clearly very dangerous animals too.
Oh I hope that they would not have released this story before contacting his wife. The Irwins carry satellite phones with them wherever they go.
The more this sinks in, the more it upsets me. Steve Irwin was a one of kind and will be greatly missed
I do not hollar " wow" enough to wake my child very often...
May God bless him, and I give thanks for us all having known his courage ;)
Whatever. I stay away from all marine invertebrates!!
I saw a huge horseshoe crab on the beach in Cape Cod. About as unwordly enough as anything!
So I stay away from the beach. And the crabs. And the poisonous, dart throwing murdering mussels.
Have you ever watched this guy in action? I'd be amazed if he didn't swim over and poke the ray in the eye to "get 'er cranky"
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