I woke this morning to the news Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, had been killed by a stingray along the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Port Douglas, Australia.
Last year, my son Bret and I visited Irwin’s Australia Zoo and we snorkeled in the same waters off Port Douglas that took Irwin’s life. Irwin is what inspired Bret to visit Australia. Irwin was his hero. He hoped to get his autograph. Bret has never cared for sport celebrities, but something about Irwin’s bravado, his understanding of nature, his charm won Bret over.
It is still early on Labor Day and I haven’t broken the news to my son. He is asleep. I am not sure how he will react.
UPDATE: Bret is sad, but he is taking it well. He says it stinks.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes, it does stink. But you two have some wonderful memories.
I am devastated myself… Australia is in mourning. We are not a nation of sentimental people. This just goes to show…
I was really sad to hear about that as well. My friend Lauren actually really wanted to go to his zoo in Australia and she wanted to meet him. She’s working at the zoo in IF right now and she wants to continue in that line of work, he was a real inspiration to her as well. She said she had been crying all morning after she found out. I’m glad that Bret is not too upset about it. I hope you are all doing well.
You’re right Kell, we do have some wonderful memories of our trip.
Nicole, your friend should still go visit the zoo. It is very well done.
AussieYam, your comment that Australia is mourning is interesting. Many of the media reports here in the U.S. implied that Irwin was an embarrassment to many in your country.
jd – he was an ‘embarrassment’ to those who have trouble admitting that we all see a bit of ourselves in Steve.
But we’re in mourning alright. Our media didn’t love him as much as the American one did, but he was what Australians should be – larger than life, love life and giving everyone a fair go. Many qualities we’d forfeited in favour of fascist ideas. :-/
I watched him together with my son in bed every sunday morning. He tought
us a lot. We will miss his humor. May he find some crocs in heaven or
r.i.p.
He indeed had the best attitude and was larger than life. May we all strive to be more like that.
It does stink. What a great, larger-than-life character, with a solid message. Antics or not, the Crocodile Hunter was all about respecting and preserving wildlife of all types and sizes. He will be missed greatly in our living room and beyond.