Good bye Croc Hunter

[bsmith]

Gods Speed Mr Irwin, you will be missed!
You brought us together for many evenings of quality family enjoyment, education and fun. I don't think we have missed an episode~! You will be missed in the Smith Home :(

Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin dies, Naturalist reportedly killed by stingray barb

SYDNEY, Australia - Steve Irwin, the quirky Australian naturalist who won worldwide acclaim, has died in a marine accident off Australia’s northeast coast, local media reported on Monday.

Queensland state government sources quoted by Australian Associated Press (AAP) said Irwin, 44, whose television show “The Crocodile Hunter” won international acclaim and popularized the phrase “Crikey”, was believed to have been killed by a stingray barb that pierced his chest.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14663786/

 

[ComradeMikhail]

Was just about to post this, RIP.

 

[Green Horn]

:( Untimely for sure...

 

[sparkysakitas]

he was a great guy loved his show
RIP :(

 

[gwcrim]

I'm surprised he made it to 44.

 

[evenslower]

If I'm not mistaken he was also a DRN member, usernname was "crocguy" or something like that. Can't find the memberlist at the moment but I seem to remember something about him being a member a few years back. He'll surely be missed.

 

[GETMETOCA]

If I'm not mistaken he was also a DRN member, usernname was "crocguy" or something like that. Can't find the memberlist at the moment but I seem to remember something about him being a member a few years back. He'll surely be missed.

I remember that he was a member too. This is really sad. :( RIP

 

[Tony Eeds]

Sad

He probably did more than anyone else currently in TV Land to get kids to see that there is a world beyond their computer screen.

Quirky for sure.

Godspeed Mr. Irwin

 

[BSWIFT]

I did my usual news scan and saw this news immediately. Steve Irwin was witty, funny, and passionate about wildlife. He will be missed by me.

 

[truespode]

I shared a few e-mails with him back in 2001.

He helped me get over my fear of snakes (not entirely but I am better).

I am very saddened by this news!

Ivan

 

[robwbright]

I saw the link on yahoo and had to look again to believe it.

 

[oldguy]

This was the first news I heard this morning as I woke up. I loved his shows as much for his personality as for the education. He had that way of an eceptional teacher in that he taught lessons while the students never even realized they were being taught.
He will be missed

 

[Okiewan]

Yeah, this sucks. The guy basically invented that gig which now has so many wanabes on TV. None are as good at it as he was.

RIP mate.

 

[dales298]

RIP Steve. A Job Well Done!

Dale

 

[Brian]

Wow. It is a sad deal for sure, but I've got to say I'm not all that surprised. I'm sure he went out doing what he loved. RIP mate :(

 

[WaltCMoto]

Sad news for sure. Hes been livin on the edge for some time now. I sure enjoyed his shows, RIP Steve

 

[rm_racer]

RIP Mr. Irwin. He had a way of making nature fun.

 

[yz250-effer]

He was a little over the top sometimes, but what passion and enthusiasum, and I enjoyed his shows. Almost could not believe the headline this A.M. Rest in peace and I feel bad for his wife and 2 kids. His dream was to have his kids continue his conservation effort, but you have to respect and admire someone who was doing what they wanted to do, regardless of the risk.

 

[Wolf]

Bummer for sure. We watched many of his shows, my kids loved it.
RIP

 

[mdkuder]

Yeah, we all watched him and knew possibly one day a croc or snake would get him, but a stingray, didn't see that one coming. He definetely loved life and we'll miss him.

 

[squeaky]

Truly sad news indeed - I did enjoy his show and the gutsiness he displayed messing around with all of those dangerous animals.

RIP Steve Irwin.

 

[MikeT]

We used to watch his shows but was always scared something was going to happen to him. We stopped watching just because it seemed he took a little too much risks. I thought he was one of the most engaging people ever to teach anything about nature.

I think this is a big shock because most thought he would get harmed by a crocodile or snake, never a stingray. From what I have seen on TV in the past couple of days he was a real family man and had a great heart. Fantastic guy. I hate that he is gone. :(

 

[RADRick]

Sad

He probably did more than anyone else currently in TV Land to get kids to see that there is a world beyond their computer screen.

Quirky for sure.

Forgive me for being blunt or seemingly insensitive. Those of us that were raised on Marlin Perkins and Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom know the difference between a naturalist and a showboating yahoo when we see one. Jim Fowler was a naturalist. Steve Irwin was an opportunist. With all the attention given today to people who push the envelope of common sense, safety, and respect for animals, Mr. Irwin is just another senseless example of our increasing arrogance. I can see him and Timothy Treadwell sitting on a cloud asking each other what the heck happened. Animals are unpredictable. Who'd a thunk it? Make no mistake, Irwin was an entertainer always looking for ways to improve his ratings and viewership. While he may have done a lot to bring animal concerns to the public, he probably did just as much harm by making it seem cool to be so reckless when near them. Irwin was not a researcher looking to study and understand wild creatures. He was a charlatan looking to make them and himself into TV stars and there's nothing noble in that. Alligators and crocodiles the world over are feeling cheated today.

Many people thought Mr. Haas in Florida was crazy for handling (and being bitten by) so many venomous snakes, but at least his sacrifices led to antidotes that help other snake bite victims. He's still alive, by the way. Irwin's departure leaves little more than a lot of people saying, "I told you so!" along with a hole in next year's TV schedule.

 

[mg89]

I want to shoot that stingray

 

[XRpredator]

. . . I can see [Steve Irwin] and Timothy Treadwell sitting on a cloud asking each other what the heck happened.

Dude, Treadwell was a nutjob loonball and probably borderline sociopathic. Irwin, whether showboating or not (that's up for debate), was at least animated and (seemed to be) genuinely excited about sharing his knowledge about wild animals.

On a side note, the more I read about the incident, the more I wonder that if he'd maybe left the stinger in he'd still be with us. One of the first things we learn in first aid is when there's a puncture wound of some kind, leave the item in the body until it can be removed by a doctor.