Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Steve Irwin
Wow! I couldn't believe it when I learned of Steve Irwin's unexpected death.
Steve Irwin was internationally known for his expertise and brave handling with crocodiles and other dangerous animals. He was also well known for saying "crikey!", which made him a likeable personality.
I used to always cringe when he'd be chasing after crocodiles, fearing that a croc might get lucky with Steve. Worse, his wife, Terri, would join in the chase with Steve.
However, over the years, you'd learn that Steve is a wonderful animal advocate and educator. Nothing prevented Steve from exploring an animal, whether it was a crocodile, a shark, a snake, a wombat or whatever.
Steve was filming for an underwater documentary in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. He was swimming above a stingray. Stingrays, when threatened or frightened, will lash out with their tail. On top of their tail is a barb, which is serrated and loaded with toxins. Apparently, the stingray stabbed its barb into Steve's ribcage and pierced his heart, killing him once he removed the barb.
Death by a stingray is rare. Australia has a record that only 1 other person has died from a stingray and that was in 1945.
Steve truly lived life at its fullest.
Rest in peace.
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