Posted on 09/08/2006 1:09:26 AM PDT by Aussie Dasher
FIRST Steve Irwin and now Peter Brock.
The sudden, tragic deaths of two Aussie icons in one working week – one in the waters off Queensland on Monday, one at the base of a tree on the other side of the continent on Friday – have shaken Australians to the core.
Both were doing what they did best and loved most.
Both relished the challenges of hazardous occupations, and won fame and admiration for the successes they achieved doing it.
Getting up-close and personal with lethal animals, and driving racing cars, both carry obvious risks.
The deaths of those involved in such activities, therefore, are not entirely surprising, but nonetheless shocking.
When accidents claim the lives of two people who are the best in their business, in swift succession, the shock is more than doubled.
The week started dismally when Irwin, 44, the self-styled Crocodile Hunter, was pierced in the chest by a stingray's barb while filming off Port Douglas.
It closed just as tragically when 61-year-old Brock's silver coupe slammed into a tree during a rally in Western Australia.
Irwin was the khaki-clad personification of the dinkum Aussie bloke, whose hundreds of millions of fans worldwide identified him with one single word of enthusiasm: crikey.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
It truly has been a black week for Australia.
As an aside, it was probably a mistake for Irwin to remove the barb. But his macho nature wouldn't have let him do anything else.
Sorry for these peoples' families--sorry Australia. They say it usually comes in threes--at least in the States. I hope this is another thing that Australia does a little bit differently from us.
Certainly is a black week -Colin Theile author of "storm Boy" died the same day as Steve Irwin "The croc Hunter" and now Peter Brock race driver "king of the mountain"
Quite unbelievable, isn't it? I've always been a Ford/Moffat man but was stunned when I heard of Brock's death.
Yeah, his "Ghosts of War" special was really cool! The scenes with Steve crawling through those old Japanese bunkers and finding their burnt remains (from USMC flamethrowers) was creepy. I tried to find the video for sell online, but have had no luck so far.
My condolences to the people of Australia.
Heck, Agro is his biggest Croc at about 1,600 pounds, and in the show where he actually captured it, his dad Bob met him back at their zoo and, with an astonished look, scratched his head and wondered aloud about how that big monster in his boat... It was too funny!
Yep It is when he was so safety concious! Croc's Rule! Holden's rule!
It's been a bad 12 months.. My Dad died Last November,he was a mad keen Mechanic and loved all cars -vintage bikes as well,He Met Brocky a few months before he died.
Now my uncle will go to before December.
There must be a big car rally going on up there!
You're having a rough 12 months. Please accept my sympathy.
Brocky was a good Liberal as well. Always hate it when we lose them.
BTW, did you receive my private message?
I've been looking for this program too. It only aired once on the Discovery Channel as far as I can tell. I wrote them shortly after it aired and asked if they were planning to show it again and they said "no." I've periodically done searches on Amazon for the US and the UK without luck. It was an amazing program and it needs to be shown again.
That is so true...once he pulled it out...he died.
As far as you Aussie's hang in there...we are sorry for your loss and will be praying for the people of your country. Blessings...
I imagine the poison was painful and his only thought was to get the barb out...and if left in, would continue to painfully poison him???/
..but by removing it, he allowed the opening in his heart to bleed out.
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