Steve Irwin has died!!!

[zkarlette]

BRISBANE, Australia - Steve Irwin, the Australian television personality and environmentalist known as the “Crocodile Hunter,” was killed Monday by a stingray during a diving expedition, Australian media said. He was 44.

Irwin was filming an underwater documentary on the Great Barrier Reef in northeastern Queensland state when the accident occurred, Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on its Web site.

The Australian Broadcasting Corp. said Irwin was diving near Low Isles near the resort town of Port Douglas, about 1,260 miles north of Brisbane



A helicopter carrying paramedics flew to the island, but he died from a stingray barb to the heart, ABC reported on its Web site.



This is something I really wasnt expecting , Really sad :(

[Raph's Girl]

Steve Irwin, the Australian television personality and environmentalist known as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed Monday by a stingray during a diving expedition, Australian media said. He was 44.

Irwin was filming an underwater documentary on the Great Barrier Reef in northeastern Queensland state when the accident occurred, Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on its Web site.

The Australian Broadcasting Corp. said Irwin was diving near Low Isles near the resort town of Port Douglas, about 1,260 miles north of Brisbane.

A helicopter carrying paramedics flew to the island, but he died from a stingray barb to the heart, ABC reported on its Web site.

Telephone calls to Australia Zoo, Irwin's zoo in southern Queensland, were not immediately answered.

Irwin is famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchcry "Crikey!" in his television program "Crocodile Hunter," which was first broadcast in Australia in 1992 and has aired around the world on the Discovery channel.

He rode his image into a feature film, and developed the Australia Zoo as a tourist attraction.

Irwin had received some negative publicity in recent years. In January 2004, he stunned onlookers at his Australia Zoo reptile park by carrying his 1-year-old son into a crocodile pen during a wildlife show. He tucked the infant under one arm while tossing the 13-foot reptile a piece of meat with the other.

Authorities declined to charge Irwin for violating safety regulations.

Later that year, he was accused of getting too close to penguins, a seal and humpback whales in Antarctica while making a documentary. Irwin denied any wrongdoing, and an Australian Environment Department investigation recommended no action be taken against him.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060904/ap_en_tv/obit_irwin_5

Raph's Girl note: A Stingray! Everybody thought it was the Crocs that would do it...but nope...a relative of a shark! :o You were well loved Steve...well loved...we'll miss ya for sure.

[ThirdMarioBro]

Well fu*k. My whole family loved Steve Irwin. I guess I was right. It was something he wasn't too experienced with that got him. He knew the crocs too well. This is a sad day. :(

*edit* Threads merged. They both hit 3 minutes apart.

[gobo]

Poor Steve... Any word on where we can send letters of condolence?

[Raph's Girl]

Oh man...Terri doesn't even know either...she's somewhere in the Tasmanian Mountains and they're having a hard time trying to get in contact with her! :o

This has been a sad year for the zoo...first their oldest tortoise dies and now Steve! :(

[Mecha Cow]

:(

I loved that guy. I can't believe he's dead.

At least he died doing what he loved. RIP Steve.

[TigerClaw]

This is sad, He was crazy, But very likable, He will surely be missed.

[Billy the Kid]

The Crocodile Hunter was nuts - I loved him!!! What other guy would get out of a moving vehicle just to run over to one of the world's most lethal snakes to pick it up; or put his head in a croc's mouth; or play with scorpions, giant cockroaches and other dangerous and creepy things.

He made it all look so easy and cool - but in the end maybe he thought it was just a little too easy. This was probably his preferred way to go - killed in action. RIP Steve!

[Ra]

I was shocked when I heard this on the radio after school today. Honestly, a world without Steve Irwin is hard to imagine, but it is happening. :( As much as I disliked his over-the-top act when preforming, he was conserving the Australian environment and helping preserve wildlife, and for that, I loved him. I was expecting this a few years down the track, but not right now. All the same, I hope his wife and kids will cope fine with this. I mean, Binda (the eldest child) loved her dad. I mean, he was the Croc Hunter! The thing that made Australia in the past decade.

Also, as a little note (since I'm living right near the heart of the action), they tried to revive him in hospital, but all of their attempts failed. Sting-ray stings can be as deadly as a venomous snake bite. One guy took 16 months just so then a wound could heal over. Rest In Peace, Steve. We will sorely miss you here :cry:

Poor Steve... Any word on where we can send letters of condolence?
Here is the address for "Australia Zoo". I guess that's where you can send letters.

Glass House Mountains Tourist Drive
Beerwah
Queensland 4519
Australia

If you want to e-mail them, you can just send it to here - www.australiazoo.com.au

Not sure if that helps, but I hope that it benifits someone...

[Buslady]

Rest in Peace man

http://www.cairnsnewspapers.com.au/extranet/articles/uploads/A304.JPG

I feel really bad for Bindi, l'il Bob and Teri...

[ThirdMarioBro]

This just depresses the hell out of me. :cry:

[Anarchistguy]

I don't want to sound like an insensitive prick, but in my opinion, he kinda asked for it. Annoying animals, mistreating the hell out of them. If you're gonna do reckless stuff like bug a baby crocodlie RIGHT IN FRONT of its mother, you can't expect them not to retalliate.

[Barkworm]

I don't want to sound like an insensitive prick, but in my opinion, he kinda asked for it. Annoying animals, mistreating the hell out of them. If you're gonna do reckless stuff like bug a baby crocodlie RIGHT IN FRONT of its mother, you can't expect them not to retalliate.
Those are EXACTLY my thoughts. Of course this is sad but I'm sure someone like Irwin was always prepared for death.

[Ecto Jedi]

Those are EXACTLY my thoughts. Of course this is sad but I'm sure someone like Irwin was always prepared for death.

Still, it's kind of surreal, all the same. I mean, we all joked that it would probably happen...And now it has, and it's a very strange feeling.

[Mecha Cow]

Mistreating animals? The dude was probably the biggest animal lover on the planet. Saying it was bound to happen eventually is one thing, but to say he was 'asking for it' is just crap, and really, let's not get into that here.

[Jo Dawn]

It's still sad, though. I loved Steve. LOVED him. The world has lost someone bright and wonderful and... so passionate about animals and saving them. Too few people are like that.

Rest in peace, Steve-O. We'll all miss you.

My condolences to Teri and Bindi and Bob.

[Buslady]

I don't want to sound like an insensitive prick, but in my opinion, he kinda asked for it. Annoying animals, mistreating the hell out of them. If you're gonna do reckless stuff like bug a baby crocodlie RIGHT IN FRONT of its mother, you can't expect them not to retalliate.

You do sound like an insensitive prick. He knows crocs, he was like one of them, he knew what and how they would react. What got him was a startled ray, I wouldnt doubt he was allergic to the venom in the sting and never knew it.
He didn't annoy animals and mistreat them. How can you say that when he would go to a war torn country and build a city's crocodile, who was living in filth, build him a brand new more suitable enclosure on his own money? Or build one of the best zoological gardens? I knew alot about reptiles before watching him, I know more because of his work. He's an animal lover's hero.
I hope he's up there were his mom, Suie and his tortoise Harriet who left this world earlier this year.

[iris]

Steve Irwin had a great deal of respect and love for animals. Every bit of Croc Hunter profits went into conservation work. It's what he lived for, and it's what he died for. He might have been a modern gladiator-- facing death for our edification and entertainment-- but he knew what he was doing. And I say that both as an animal scientist and as an admirer of people who try to make a difference in the world, be that difference big or small. And Steve Irwin made no small difference.

ETA: From the people I've talked to who know a little about rays, this had to have been freak accident. This is only the third sting ray death in all of Australia's history, and many people go to Oz expressly to swim the reefs and similar marine ecotourism.

[DrSpengler]

It's a shame he died, really. But I just don't find it all that surprising.

If every day I go out and slap a grizzly bear in the face, chances are he's eventually going to kill me.

Steve Irwin made a career out of doing crazy stunts with dangerous animals and eventually one killed him. It was inevitable. Sort've like a soldier. They go out and risk their lives for a living so it's not really surprising when they get killed. Sad? Absolutely. But it doesn't surprise the socks off me.

Still, I did enjoy his antics and I will miss him.

[XERO]

Did he jam his thumb up it's butthole? :P

*sighs*

So... the Croc Hunter finally became the prey. That really sucks.

I wonder just how many animals, reptiles and insects he 'hunted' during his adventures. Probably a Titanic-load, for sure.

It always happens when you LEAST expect it. Always. The fact that I stopped watching the show before he died proves my theory. Now, I feel like such an idiot.

I wonder how is this gonna affect Australia? I hope they learned a lot from him. I know I did.

See you in the afterlife, Steve.

CRIKEY!!!!8)

[Anarchistguy]

You do sound like an insensitive prick. He knows crocs, he was like one of them, he knew what and how they would react. What got him was a startled ray, I wouldnt doubt he was allergic to the venom in the sting and never knew it.
He didn't annoy animals and mistreat them. How can you say that when he would go to a war torn country and build a city's crocodile, who was living in filth, build him a brand new more suitable enclosure on his own money? Or build one of the best zoological gardens? I knew alot about reptiles before watching him, I know more because of his work. He's an animal lover's hero.
I hope he's up there were his mom, Suie and his tortoise Harriet who left this world earlier this year.

Well I'm sorry you feel that way about my remark, but suppose I was dancing like crazy on a VERY FRAGILE 2 by 4 above a volcano EVERY DAY. Eventually, I'd fall to my death. This is what happened to him. You probably thought I was happy that he died, but that ain't what I meant.

[ZariusTwo]

Damn you Troy Tempest.

[Masked Ninja]

I bet he wouldn't even have blamed the stingray that got him. Poor guy - he did dangerous things, yes, but he did most of it out of love for the animals. Most of these things he was rescuing, and you could tell he loved 'em all. He was filming a documentary this time, so it's highly likely his death exists on film somewhere. Hope they never air it, though... it would be so disturbing.

Rest in peace, mate...

[Mars-Chan]

Guys, CHILL!

We're getting up in arms over emotions about someone's opinion about the Croc Hunter!


TRUE, he was a crazy dude, but as some have mentioned here, he lived life to the FULLEST, never actually *HARMING* the animals that he wanted to show us, even though they were "just a little bit annoyed at me for pickin' them up!".

I always thought he was the most hillarious dude on the face of the earth, so now he's hunting crocs in heaven alongside his dog Sui!


And yes, I realize that I'm going to upset some people with that comment, but I just wanted to speak my mind...

[ZariusTwo]

...And FedEx must be wishing they never made this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Okp5FTKOB4

[Raph's Girl]

Well just think... he's gone beyond the Rainbow bridge and been reunited with his mom (whom he was EXTREMELY close to), his dogs (Bindi and Sue), Harriet the tortoise, and Lucy the Croc.

But he lives on in his kids, Bindi Sue (who was named after the dog Sue and the Croc Bindi...not the dog Bindi) and Bob, and in the species of snapping turtle he discovered, which was named after him, Irwin's Tortoise.

Steve had a major love of animals, particularly Crocs and Turtles. Sure he was always saying "Crocs rule!" But he also rather frequently exlaimed how much he loved turtles. So he was probably a TMNT fan (which would be really cool).

Steve wasn't careless...this was just a 1 and a million chance of this happening....he went in for a dive and was stung by a fish with no backbone (and I mean that litterally).

He was a great environmentalist. All he did for environmental protection will be remembered and honored. Yes he was a bit extentric in how he did it...but that's why people love him so much. He was excited about what he did.

By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,
Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.
Where the friends of man and woman do run,
When their time on earth is over and done.

For here, between this world and the next,
Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.
On this golden land, they wait and they play,
Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.

No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,
For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.
Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,
Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.

They romp through the grass, without even a care,
Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.
All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,
Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.

For just at that instant, their eyes have met;
Together again, both person and pet.
So they run to each other, these friends from long past,
The time of their parting is over at last.

The sadness they felt while they were apart,
Has turned into joy once more in each heart.
They embrace with a love that will last forever,
And then, side-by-side, they cross over… together.


He was filming a documentary this time, so it's highly likely his death exists on film somewhere. Hope they never air it, though... it would be so disturbing.

Oh Im sure they will...just like they did with Grizzly Man.

Yes it's a great documentary about this man (and his GF) who lived on the side of danger with Grizzly Bears...documenting them rather closely.

But the guy and his GF were mauled to death....and they were filming at the time....Not much is shown but you can hear their screams.

This is shown on Discovery Channel and Animal Planet...so you just KNOW they'll show the documentary Steve was working on. :ohwell:

[ThirdMarioBro]

I wish people wouldn't act like he ever harmed the animals for the sake of doing crazy sh*t for attention. It was the complete opposite. He may have annoyed the living crap out of them, but in the end, it was for their own benifit. When you educate people about something potentially, they are less likely to fear it or have a desire to destory it. That's what he tried to prove by doing all that crazy-ass stuff on TV.

Hell, it looks like Crocs may posess the cure to Aids. You don't kill something because you fear it. For every animal we push to extinction, we're killing a small part of ourselves, and it you've got to annoy the piss out of an animal to make the point, then so be it. His stunts got our attention and made us listen to the point he was trying to make. As long as they're not being hurt, anything goes, and he never intentionally hurt an animal.

[Mecha Cow]

Watch this, guys (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlxJ-UBaTaU&mode=related&search=).

[Katie]

oh....how profoundly sad :cry:

I remember the first time i watched his show..I thought, this guy's a nut...but he was very passionate about what he did. Steve's an icon. No one could ever replace him.

My late hubby and I used to talk about going to see Austrailia zoo. he wanted to meet Steve more than anything in the world. Him and Jeff Corwin. I shook hands with Jeff Corwin two weeks after Trent died...Trenty, shake hands with Steve for me when you meet him :cry: :cry:

RIP Crocodile Hunter

[OA]

Wow....what a shame...

Love him or hate him, he brought interest and charisma to important environmental issues....very, very sad news...

[Raph's Girl]

Watch this, guys (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlxJ-UBaTaU&mode=related&search=).

Yea... the ep Mary (why do I keep on thinking it was Lucy? ) died was the SADDEST ep of Croc Hunter Diaries period.

Mary was one of the mates of Agro. Agro let Steve grieve for Mary and let him bury her. Croc's grieve too and the fact that neither Agro or the other crocs that lived in that pen didn't even go near the body or attack at the funeral was simply amazing.

So IMO Agro, Acco, Lucy, Sharon, Angel, Charlie, Connie and Nobbie are all grieving in their own right. Along with all the other animals.

Animals grieve...no matter the species. They always sense when their friends pass on.

[Raven]

The dude sure was crazy but was entertaining, he'll be missed.

[Jester]

Yeah, there were several times i thought..."that's a black mamba....put it down!' Never thought it's be the rather inacuous sting ray that killed him...although one news report I heard not to long ago, the reporter miss-read it and said it was a manatee...:P

[Raph's Girl]

although one news report I heard not to long ago, the reporter miss-read it and said it was a manatee...:P

Yea....them sea cows are dangerous mate...they're related to the elephant so they'll charge at ya with high speeds to get at the turtle grass. :roll:

[FireFly]

i heard about it last night, he will be missed

[cowabunga14]

:cry: It's sad to see this guy go. I'll never forget my early childhood days when I watched Croc Files mornings before school. That show'll be something for me to remember him by.

I miss Steve very much so. Something tells me he's in a better place now.

[Ecto Jedi]

Steve wasn't careless...this was just a 1 and a million chance of this happening....he went in for a dive and was stung by a fish with no backbone (and I mean that litterally).

No kidding; "This was only the third known fatality in Australian history from a stingray attack, and the first since 1945. As of 1996, only seventeen worldwide fatalities had been recorded, and it is believed to be the only fatal attack ever captured on film." :cry:

[Buslady]

I'v'e been pretty down all day, I feel like I've really lost a freind...but I never met him or anything. Through his shows, the Diaries and all that...I felt like I knew him, the family, everybody...we've seen his greatest joy when Bindi was born and the saddest moments like the death of that croc in the clip, I"m sure he was that way with Harriet...he really loved her...

[Jo Dawn]

They're talking about whether or not to air the footage of when he was killed. It's all up to Teri.

I'm fairly sure... for his memory, for him, she'll allow it.

[GK Punk]

I really have no interest in watching his death...

[Katie]

I doubt they'd show the ACTUAL moment of the attack. Even withthe grizzly guy they just talked about everyone's impressions of what they saw.

Poor Terri. I know EXACTLY how she is feeling. you get that phone call...and your heart starts pounding...and the words don't quite connect...then you just kind of go into auto-pilot. It doesn't seem real at all for awhile...there are people all around you...you don't have time to even think. Then, a couple weeks later, when everyone has gone and it's just you again...Wham! it hits you like a ton of bricks...THEN its real.

*sigh* I wish I could tell her that tings get better and life does come back eventually...but right now her universe is collapsing and nothing anyone says changes that.

[ThirdMarioBro]

I don't want to see it. I'm sure it will leak out anyway, but I'm not watching it. Watching beloved people die is not entertainment.

[Buslady]

I want to remember my hero doing his job, not getting killed. I wouldn't want to see him die. If they aired the documentary they were working on, it would be really sad to see it. It would be a testament to show the world how dangerous animals can be, without any provocation whatsoever though. He wasn't even touching the animal, just being near it.

I remmeber seeing a beach full of female elephant seals up north and these IDIOTS were right near them, one female could just lurch and knock someone down and crunch...they were lucky they werent attacked. With all the signs everywhere, the retards ignore them. Wild animals are just that wild. You crowd them, they will defend themselves if they feel they need to.

Even though to him it might've not looked like the animals felt crowded by his presence and the cameraman, but they were and one got him. Simple as that. He wouldn't have blamed the ray either.

[GK Punk]

He wouldn't have blamed the ray either.

I feel rather confident in saying that wouldn't blame the ray.

[ZariusTwo]

They're talking about whether or not to air the footage of when he was killed. It's all up to Teri.

I'm fairly sure... for his memory, for him, she'll allow it.

I thought it was all up to MTV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1goVQy5mlE

"Now that's a stinger"

[ThirdMarioBro]

That's not funny.

[ZariusTwo]

That's not funny.


Oh lighten the hell up. People joke about 9/11.

Strewth mate.:roll:

[ThirdMarioBro]

Yeah, but not the morning after. My sister just found out, and she's an animal nut. Steve was the main thing that got her into animal planet, and now she watches it all the time.

[Sliced]

I used to watch this guy alot some years ago. I was shocked to hear that he was dead. I had to sit down for a minute to really understand what was going on.

I wouldn't mind watching the video, if its ever legally released. But I won't watch it on youtube or any other websites. Its his final moments, so I don't want to see anything who would just promote ''Come and see Steve Irwin's death !'' There's no respect in that.

What I heard about his death was that the stinger got right into his heart, killing him almost instantly. If this is true, then I'm atleast glad to know that his death was almost painless. R.I.P. Steve.

[Raph's Girl]

I thought it was all up to MTV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1goVQy5mlE

"Now that's a stinger"

Wouldn't it be ironic if that were his last words as he pulled the barb out of his chest before he died?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060905/people_nm/australia_irwin_dc_10

Fatally injured by a stingray, Australian "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin pulled its serrated barb out of his chest before losing consciousness and dying, the world-famous naturalist's manager said on Tuesday.

Video footage of the attack shows Irwin swimming above the stingray on the Great Barrier Reef on Monday when it lashed out and speared him in the heart with its barbed tail, manager John Stainton told reporters.

"It shows that Steve came over the top of the ray and the tail came up, and spiked him here (in the chest)," Stainton said after watching the footage.

"He pulled it out and the next minute he's gone. The cameraman had to shut down," he said.

"It's a very hard thing to watch because you're actually witnessing somebody die ... it's terrible."

Irwin, 44, the quirky naturalist who won worldwide acclaim as TV's khaki-clad "Crocodile Hunter," was filming a new documentary off Australia's northeastern coast when he was attacked.

Marine experts say stingrays can deliver horrific, agonizing injuries from the toxin-laden barbs, which can measure up to 20 cm (8 in) in length and cause injuries like a knife or bayonet.

"The strongly serrated barb is capable of tearing and rendering flesh," said Dr Bryan Fry, deputy director of the Australian Venom Research Unit.

"It's not the going in that causes the damage, it's the coming out where those deep serrations kind of pull on the flesh, and you end up with a very jagged tear which is quite a pronounced injury," Fry said.

News of Irwin's death shocked Australians and Irwin's millions of fans around the world. Prime Minister John Howard interrupted parliament on Tuesday to pay tribute.

"He was a genuine, one-off, remarkable Australian individual and I am distressed at his death," Howard told parliament.

"We mourn his loss, we're devastated by the tragic circumstances in which he has been taken from us and we send our love and prayers to his grieving family," he said.

"CRIKEY"

Environmental documentary maker Ben Cropp said video of the attack showed Irwin swimming alongside a bull stingray, probably weighing around 100 kg (220 lb). His cameraman was filming in front of the ray, which became frightened and lashed out.

Stingrays are usually placid and only attack in self-defense.

Stainton said the cameraman only became aware of the attack when he noticed Irwin bleeding.

Millions had seen Irwin flirt with death many times as he stalked and played with crocodiles, sharks, snakes and spiders. Stainton said he was struggling to come to terms with the fact that a stingray had killed his friend.

"There's been a million occasions where both of us held our breath and thought we were lucky to get out of that one," Stainton said. "But he just seemed to have a charmed life."

Police said they had examined the footage and would prepare a report for the coroner appointed to determine the cause of death.

Film star Russell Crowe called Irwin the "ultimate wildlife warrior," adding: "He was the Australian we all aspire to be. He touched my heart. I believed in him. I'll miss him."

Known for his catchphrase "Crikey" during close encounters with animals, Irwin made almost 50 documentaries which appeared on the cable TV channel Animal Planet.

U.S.-based television company Discovery Communications, which produces Animal Planet, said it would set up a conservation fund in honor of Irwin, dubbed in one tribute a "modern-day Noah," and planned a marathon showing of his programs.

Discovery said the footage of Irwin's fatal dive might never be broadcast.

Australian newspapers paid tribute to Irwin on Tuesday, while fans including American tourists laid wreaths outside his Australia Zoo in tropical Queensland state.

"We thought he was Superman, that he was indestructible," said an editorial in Sydney's The Daily Telegraph.

"We were wrong"

Raph's Girl note:
"Police said they had examined the footage and would prepare a report for the coroner appointed to determine the cause of death."

Dude...determine cause of death?! He was stung by a sting ray!... :ohwell: They could probably do a made for tv movie that shows how he died...just have another actor play him...

[NightwatchersOnlygirl]

Rest In Peace Steve

[Raph's Girl]

Steve Irwin was videotaped pulling a poisonous stingray barb from his chest in his last moments of life, officials said Tuesday, as tributes poured in for TV's "Crocodile Hunter."

Police said there was nothing suspicious about Irwin's death and no evidence he provoked the animal. Irwin, 44, was stabbed through the heart on Monday while snorkeling with a stingray during filming of a new TV program on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

John Stainton, Irwin's manager who was among the crew on the reef, said the fatal blow was caught on videotape, and described viewing the footage as having the "terrible" experience of watching a friend die.

"It shows that Steve came over the top of the ray and the tail came up, and spiked him here (in the chest), and he pulled it out and the next minute he's gone," Stainton told reporters in Cairns, where Irwin's body was taken for an autopsy.

Queensland state police were holding the tape as evidence for a coroner's inquiry — a standard procedure in high-profile deaths or those caused by other than natural causes.

Experts have said the stingray may have felt trapped between the cameraman and the TV star. Irwin, the popular host of "Crocodile Hunter," rose to fame by getting dangerously close to crocodiles, snakes and other beasts.

But Queensland Police Superintendent Michael Keating said there was no evidence Irwin threatened or intimidated the stingray, a normally placid species that only deploys its poisonous tail spines as a defense.

Stainton said Irwin was in his element in the Outback, but that he and Irwin had talked about the sea posing threats the star wasn't used to.

"If ever he was going to go, we always said it was going to be the ocean," Stainton said. "On land he was agile, quick-thinking, quick-moving and the ocean puts another element there that you have no control over."

Parliament took a break from the business of running the country to pay tribute to Irwin, whose body was being flown home Tuesday from Cairns. No funeral plans were announced but state Premier Peter Beattie said Irwin would be afforded a state funeral if his family agreed.

Irwin's American wife Terri, Bindi and their son Bob, almost 3, returned late Monday from a trekking vacation in Tasmania to Australia Zoo, the wildlife park where the family lived at Beerwah in Queensland's southeast.

At the park, hundreds of people filed past the entrance laying floral bouquets and handwritten condolence messages. Khaki shirts — a trademark of Irwin — were laid out for people to sign.

"Mate, you made the world a better place," read one poster left at the gate. "Steve, our hero, our legend, our wildlife warrior," read another. "I thought you were immortal. How I wish that was true," said a third.

The park opened Tuesday because it was what Irwin would have wanted, said Gail Gipp, an animal health employee.

Irwin was propelled to global fame after his TV shows, in which he regularly wrestled with crocodiles and went face-to-face with poisonous snakes and other wild animals, were shown around world on the Discovery Channel.

The network announced plans for a marathon screening of Irwin's work and a wildlife fund in his name.

"Rarely has the world embraced an animal enthusiast and conservationist as they did Steve Irwin," Discovery Networks International President Dawn McCall said in a statement.

Experts differed on the number of human deaths caused by stingrays — anywhere from 3 to 17 — though they agreed that they were extremely rare.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060905/ap_on_en_tv/obit_irwin

Raph's Girl note: Having a state funeral would be good cuz then it would be on tv!! Terri would definatly allow it for the sake of us fans! :o

[Jo Dawn]

Yeah, I watched footage alot of the night, and they said if he headn't pulled the barb back out, they might have been able to save him... But what would YOUR first reaction be if stabbed?

It's just horrible. And these stupid interviewers are just rediculous with their questions. I had to turn it off after a bit.

We all love ya, Steve-O. *blows kisses*

[Katie]

Raph's Girl note:
"Police said they had examined the footage and would prepare a report for the coroner appointed to determine the cause of death."

Dude...determine cause of death?! He was stung by a sting ray!... :ohwell: They could probably do a made for tv movie that shows how he died...just have another actor play him...


It's just procedure. They did an autopsy on my Trent and everyone watched him crash his motorcycle. Just something they likely do for a non-natural death.

[Raph's Girl]

Animal Planet is scheduled to air tributes to Irwin beginning at 6 p.m. EDT. Animal Planet U.S. and Animal Planet International plan to air a marathon featuring highlights of Irwin's more than 200 appearances on Discovery networks shows.

If you watch Good Morning America they have been showing some of the footage.

Also tonight on Larry King Live...he will be interviewing the ever dull Jack Hannah. They will of course be talking about Steve.

There's a webcomic I read called Irregular Webcomic. There's a character named Steve who's a wildlife expert (a crazy Aussie wildlife expert) and his wife Terry .however the author of the comic has stated numerous times that it's not Steve Irwin .Just somebody who resembles him. So his Steve is gonna stay alive. However he also has Angel of Death characters (lead by Head Death). The Death characters are always weird. Like Killed by Steve or Killed by Mercury Poisoning, ect.

This is the comic he (the author) did for Steve Irwin:
http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/special/SteveIrwin.jpg

So Steve will live on in webcomic form annoying Jane Goodall :lol:

[hazlov2004]

i heard about it im i liked watching his tv show

[Lady Venus]

It's a sad thing to hear that Steve died. :(

[Hannah]

I don't want to sound like an insensitive prick, but in my opinion, he kinda asked for it. Annoying animals, mistreating the hell out of them. If you're gonna do reckless stuff like bug a baby crocodlie RIGHT IN FRONT of its mother, you can't expect them not to retalliate.
I agree completely.



I feel like an asshole though, I laughed when Shadow told me he died.


EDIT: I do feel sorry for his family, though.

[Zachatello00]

When my youth group took a trip to the mountians in Tenn, I wore a khaki jumpsuit and pretended to be The croc hunter for my friends amusment. Since then though, I've been a fan. This is tough news to hear. We'll all miss you Steve.

[gobo]

Well, I didn't want to make any further comments because I'd feel like the jackass who only acts respectful to make himself look good. But, I am harshest toward myself. The fact of the matter is that I know squat about Steve's career. But, what I do know is that the man's life was an open book. I don't recall seeing an episode (which I only saw in passing because my mother is an Animal Planet afficionado) where I didn't learn a personal detail about his life. This is one sort of person I have the utmost respect for. On top of that, his life made a huge impact on this world (which was mostly learned after the fact). The man was a role model.
As far as the footage of his death being aired, it's not for entertainment so much as to bring news to those who wouldn't know otherwise. It would also show people the reality of how fragile human life is compared to its ficticious depictions, as this sounded like it wasn't too unrelenting an attack. Personally, I don't see the point in seeing that actual scene. But, seeing the documentary finished would be a great tribute. Adding a brief monologue at the end in memory of Steve, and possibly promoting his Wildlife Fund, would be entirely appropriate.
Yeah, I watched footage alot of the night, and they said if he headn't pulled the barb back out, they might have been able to save him... But what would YOUR first reaction be if stabbed?
Damned if you do. Damned if you don't. It's all too tragic...

[Raph's Girl]

Saturday Animal Planet will be airing a Croc Hunter Marathon (which I figured they do).

The Discovery Network will be making a fund in his honour called... The Crikey Fund! :lol:

The documentary he was filming at the time is called "Ocean's Deadliest" (Well...yep...)

"Steve said to me on the boat, on Croc One...as we were leaving to go out for this doco, 'John, I've had the best month of my life'. I said, 'Gee, that's a big statement, Steve' and he said, 'No, it's the best month of my life,'" Stainton recalled.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/eo/20060905/en_celeb_eo/19930

[Katie]

I'm watching Larry King right now...talking about him and everything.

I'm just devastated. I cannot even begin to express to everyone how deeply this has affected me. I'm so depressed right now :( :cry:

[iris]

Yeah, I watched footage alot of the night, and they said if he headn't pulled the barb back out, they might have been able to save him... But what would YOUR first reaction be if stabbed?
IANAD, but if it actually pierced his heart as they are saying, I don't see how that would have prolonged the drop in his blood pressure for more than few more minutes. And from what the knowledgeable sting ray people are saying, they would have been painful minutes.

That said, the main thing I took away from watching the TLC Channel was that if ever you are have a knife, stake, scissors, or other such object driven into you, don't pull the damn thing out.

*sigh* Steve Irwin was a good guy. His method of filming animals was actually more ecologically friendly than many other animal documentary methods.

[Ra]

I thought I'd pop in to say some news, since I'm living right near the heart of the action.

The past two days have had special editions in the newspaper, like one would expect. It's pretty sad, since they have pictures of some of the proudest moments of his life in there. Heck, there is even a picture of him handling a baby croc with his daughter, dressed up as a fairy princess, on his back, holding a lizard. Very sad indeed.

Everyone says that Steve diserves a state funeral. Probably 1% of the people out there go against it, since he has done so much for us in his life. I personally hope that he does have a state funeral, since he was such a big personality and wanted to give so much for the environment.

Here is a part of yesterday's newspaper.

He had died as he had lived - in the wild
There was no blodd in the water, it was not that obvious...something happened with the animal that made it rear, and he was at the rong position at the wrong time." The Australian[/] last night quoted Mr West as saying "...if it (stung) him anywhere else we would not be talking about a fatality."

The newspaper reported crewmen as saying that Irwin was barely conscious in the minutes after being drgged from the water, and died as he was being transported in his boat, Croc One.

A distraught Mr Stainton said later Irwin had probably 'died instantly, so catastrophic was the injury'. "I don't think he would have felt any pain," Mr Stainton said. "It was a very unfortunate accident the way it happened.

"He came over the top of the ray and the barb came up." Irwin was taking by dingy to nearby Low Isles, an island nature reserve, where desperate attempts were made to resuscitate him. An emergency helicopter from Cairns reached the scene just after noon.

"It became clear fairly soon that he had non-survivable injuries," said Ed O'Loughlin, the Emergency Management Queenslad doctor who tended Irwin. "He had a penetrating injury to the left front of his chest. He had lost his pulse and wasn't breathing."

News of Irwin's death was last night leading television news bulletins across the US, where the success of his [I]Crocodile Hunter television series and spin-off movies had made him a household name.

As tributes flowed for his work as an environmentalist and wildlife advocate, Prime Minister John Howard indicated that Irwin could be honoured with a state funeral

"He was a larrikin, yes, but he was a really warm-hearted bloke as well and he cared passionately about Australia and he cared passionately about the Australian environment," Mr Howard said. "I really do feel Australia has lost a wonderfful and colourful son."

Opposition Leader Kim Beazley described Irwin as a "great ambassador for Australian larrikin values".

But Premier Peter Beattie said he would wait for the family to express its wishes before announcing whether there would be formal state recongnition for Irwin. The fatal encounter with the stingray is understood to have been captured on film...

~Cameron Atfield, Brendan O'Malley, Jamie Walker - The Courier Mail, Tuesday, Sptember 5.

It then goes into what happened when he was diving. I would post it now, but I think what I've posted right now will be enough. Just say so if you want more.

[Jo Dawn]

Here's a nice little tribute.

Tribute (http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=19424)


I've always loved that song, too...

[Raph's Girl]

Here's a nice little tribute.

Tribute (http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=19424)


I've always loved that song, too...

OMG! That was a beautiful and wonderful tribute! :cry:

[Ra]

Quick Note: There will be no state funeral, but a private funeral for Steve will be held with family members and close friends attending in the next seven days. However, there WILL be a service to Steve so then the nation can pay tribute to the one and only Croc Hunter.

It's better this way, I think. The guy diserves a state funeral, but everyone who knew him well said that he wouldn't have wanted it. Besides, Terri, Bindi and Bob are having a hard time to cope with this. They are currently at Australia Zoo, where they feel the closest to Steve. The staff are having a hard time to cope, but they are still running the daily shows. :cry:

[Katie]

I think it's good they are having a private funeral. He would have wanted it that way. like his dad said, he was just a regular guy.

[Fang Wolf]

† Rest In Peace Steve Irwin †

† I'm come miss you! † :cry:

[Raph's Girl]

Terri Irwin has announced that the public memorial service for her late husband will take place at the Crocoseum next Wednesday. It will be live on tv across Australia, the U.S, and Asia.

Not sure what channel tho but possably any of the Discovery Network Channels (of which I have all of em :D ).

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060913/od_nm/australia_irwin_dc_3

[Katie]

I read in the newspaper this morning that there have been a large number of dead sting rays found with their tails cut off in Queensland. It was speculated that it could be some kind or Retribution for Steve's death.

Poor stingrays. He definitely would not want people to do that.

[Mecha Cow]

Yeah, I read that too. Really stupid, it goes against everything he stood for.

[Raph's Girl]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/eo/20060915/en_celeb_eo/20022

One thing's for certain--Steve Irwin won't lack for mourners.

Grieving fans of television's Crocodile Hunter snapped up all 3,000 tickets to his public memorial service within minutes on Friday.

Many people had camped out overnight in order to better their chances of securing tickets, which were distributed in three locations across Irwin's home state of Queensland.

Beautician Melissa Powers waited more than 25 hours on a Brisbane sidewalk for her tickets, but said her time was well spent.

"It's unbelievable," Powers told reporters, clasping her tickets. "I haven't slept and am so overemotional--I'm looking so forward to it."

She called herself a "huge fan" of Irwin.

Hundreds of disappointed fans were left empty-handed after all the tickets had been passed out, prompting some to burst into tears.

In the spirit of genorosity, Brisbane native Brad Dionysius handed his tickets over to a weeping 10-year-old boy.

"It broke my heart seeing that poor little kid miss out on such an Australian icon...so I just had to," he told the Australian Associated Press.

The public service is set to take place Wednesday morning at the Australia Zoo Crocoseum, where Irwin used to wow fans by feeding live crocodiles.

"I cannot see how a memorial service would work in any place other than the Crocoseum, which he built here at the zoo and of which he was so proud," Irwin's widow, Terri, said in a statement earlier in the week.

Both Terri and the couple's eight-year-old daughter, Bindi, are expected to speak at the service, along with Irwin's father, Bob, and his longtime manager, John Stainton.

Those who did not manage to get tickets will be able to watch the memorial on large screens set up near Australia Zoo and in the city of Brisbane. The service will also be broadcast across Australia.

In the United States, Animal Planet will air the service commercial free on Tuesday (Wednesday in Australia). The network's international branch will also broadcast the memorial in Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

In addition, Animal Planet will air a 15-hour marathon of Irwin's greatest hits Sunday, titled Crocs Rule! A Tribute to Steve Irwin. Among clips of the khaki-clad entertainer's most memorable moments, friends and colleagues will offer personal recollections of Irwin.

The TV star and dedicated conservationist was killed by a stingray Sept. 4 while filming an underwater documentary.

His family and friends held a private funeral for him last weekend. Relatives turned down the offer of a state funeral, believing Irwin would not have wanted such a formal affair.

"He wants to be remembered as an ordinary bloke," his father explained to reporters.

Despite what Irwin may have wanted, the 3,000 fans attending his memorial, as well as the countless others who will watch on TV, are likely to remember him as anything but ordinary.

Raph's Girl note: Tuesday...hmm.. gotta remember that

[iris]

People are truly mourning, and not just because they're "huge fans" or hero worshippers.

[Duke]

Not sure if anyone is interested but here is a link to a facebook group dedicated to Steve

http://liberty.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2207597598

[Raph's Girl]

Steve Irwin's public memorial will be airing on Animal Planet tomarrow (Tuesday) at 9pm ET.... however since most live events air earlier on the west coast...It'll be on at around 5pm PT. There will be an encor broadcast several hours later.

Check your local listings for time and channel.

This will be airing on other networks all over the world. No clue what times tho.

Go here on info on where to send donations and stuff:
http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/crochunter/steve/steve.html

[Katie]

I'm bumping this up b/c the memorial is tonight. Don't want anyone who is interested in watching this to forget. I'll be watching with my hankies dutifully at my side :cry:


EDIT: It's over now....I cried like a pitiful little baby. *sigh* I need a big hug.

[Jo Dawn]

Man, I wasn't home and MISSED it. :'(

[Katie]

The part that got me was when Brian packed up that truck all by himself...and they were singing that true blue song.... and drove it away.....OMG I bawled


BTW they are replaying it again tonight...check your listings

[Raph's Girl]

The part that got me was when Brian packed up that truck all by himself...and they were singing that true blue song.... and drove it away.....OMG I bawled

I watched it with my mom and step-dad... we were all bawling by the time it ended.... what really got me was Bindi's speach (damn she looks so much like Steve...so does Little Bob tho), seeing Terri crying, the songs and poems (I loved how that even an Aborigini tribe honoured him), Wes thanking him for saving his life (I remembered when that happened...he went on Oprah shortly after the incident and showed off his wounds :lol: ).... That was truly a wonderfull and touching tribute to the man who definatly changed the world... Crocadiles are crying indeed!

But yea when Brian packed up the truck and even included Steve's surf board....Oi....I think that really struck him that Steve was gone....the way he looked at the surf board... Steve LOVED surfing....

[Jo Dawn]

BTW they are replaying it again tonight...check your listings

Man... I just can't win here. Missed it again. For somone that doesn't have much of a life, I sure can't be home to see this.

Well... My friend's mom taped it. Hopefully she doesn't get rid of it or anything before I can borrow it.