The Croc Hunter died.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/060904/23/10ebv.html

By a freak stingray sting no less.:(

[jer271]

  that just aint right, kinda sucks.

[jer271]

And Uh.... CRIKEY that really sucks mate!

[catman]

He'll be remembered by some for taking his infant into the croc ring-it hurt his image with some people, i had no real problem with it.He will be missed i love the snake shows!NJ JOHN

[Speedballer347]

The guy was my hero.  I am shocked and sic about it.

He was a "World Champion"
He had the adreneline, guts, skill, and FEARLESS do-or-die passion of Rossi....but instead used his gifts and dedicated every breath of his life to help animals by educating people around the world. 
He did more for animals than anyone I can think of, and through his shows, Zoo, popularity, his work will live on for a long, long time.

God Bless you Steve Irwin....you were a 1-of-a-kind wonderful person....a true gift.....the world is grieving

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14663786/?GT1=8506

[Jeff]

What an icon and an incredible loss...  The guy personified enthusiasm.  He should have been a spokesman for mountain dew... LOL...

[jer271]

Yeah Jeff I was thinking the same thing,  and instead of a computer graphics vid of the guy ridding the shark in the new commercial, That crazy basterd would have done it for real. Crikey!!!!!

[sryan296]

I always liked the guy, but he was nuts. Was anybody actually suprised that he died the way he did. I don't think he would have made it to retirement anyway

[Jeff]

I always liked the guy, but he was nuts. Was anybody actually suprised that he died the way he did. I don't think he would have made it to retirement anyway

VERY surprised...  he's probably one person in a few years world wide to be killed by a stingray.  I always figured a croc would get him...

[Sobottka]

only 2 other  deaths due to stingrays ever in austrailia!!! very very rare.

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

He died doing what he loved.  We should all be so lucky.

No RIP for you, Steve.  I hope it's balls to the wall wherever you're at now.  I'd hate to think that boredom would be your eternal reward.  Godspeed.

[spyderchick]

Apparently, they did get it on film or video for posterity. Before anyone goes sniping about how that's tacky, Irwin said in a 2002 interview that if he was going to die, he sure hopes they get it on film. The authorities have possesion of it now, and controvery has started on whether it should be shown to the general public.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Apparently, they did get it on film or video for posterity. Before anyone goes sniping about how that's tacky, Irwin said in a 2002 interview that if he was going to die, he sure hopes they get it on film. The authorities have possesion of it now, and controvery has started on whether it should be shown to the general public.

I know. But seriously that needs to be the final decision of his family. Last thing I think their kids need is to accidentally come across that when they are older.

[Jeff]

Last thing I think their kids need is to accidentally come across that when they are older.

Right.  They should be given the opportunity to see it on their own choice and not have it hidden from them to 'accidentally' come across.

I don't know.  Maybe I view death differently, but it's not a bad thing.  It might suck for the people around him, but it doesn't suck for him, he's dead! 

He did die doing what he loved, and I'm glad that he didn't get eaten by a croc, as it proved everyone pretty much wrong.

[spyderchick]

Some how I don't think Terry would let them accidentally see it.

To digress, I've been reading the most recent issue of Outside magazine, and they are revisiting the deadly 1996 season on Everest, as this past climbing season has been the deadliest since then. I drew a parallel, because Steve gave people the desire to go and have adventures. What regular folks need to understand is that you can't make these decisions to become a mountain climber or adventure naturalist without some sort of extensive training and background. Even the best in the world die doing what they've trained all their lives to do. Mountaineering used to be confined to those who  has a deep need to summit unreachable heights. Now if you've done a few climbs, you can go try the baddest mountain on the planet for under $10,000. You might not live, but if you summit, you will have died having reached your goal. But where is the victory in that? Guys like Ed Viesturs (he's summited Everest several time without oxygen) are few and far between, and he may still die on a mountain somewhere. There are weekend warriors who think that if an "old" guy like that can do it, they can, too. It's too bad, because it hurts the sport.

Steve was an extraorinary guy. We know he's inspired many, let's hope that those who follow in his footsteps understand the skill, knowledge and training he had to do what he did. He was a rare breed, and will be deeply missed by the naturalist community and those he educated.

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

Some how I don't think Terry would let them accidentally see it.

I dont think she would either, but imagine if Bindi is about 10 or 11 and is using a computer at school and some kid brought it up on a computer and showed her? If she wants to see it when she's older thats up to her mother.

Slightly on and off topic here...
I dont know about what other forums everyone gets on beside here, but I've been seeing some rather disturbing posts on other forums on this topic. Hell one guy is making animated pictures poking fun litterally that same day. Seen a number of people pipe in with "Adios moron" and "good riddance" crap. Hell even if you dont care for a famous person you dont start this crap before they are even buried. Then again people are alot braver behind a monitor than in person. Geesh talk about the decline of common decency nowadays. I didnt care for Dale Earnhart or Kurt Cobain one bit but I didnt go around start making cracks on it the next day. And people wonder why society is declining. Just fucking bothers me. Maybe its because how we were brought up. Open doors for women and elders, giving up seats on a bus to people who need it, lettimg people trying to get out of a parking lot onto the road in during stop and go traffic....

[Jeff]

just people trying to get a rise out of others happens at gradeschools everywhere.

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

A lot of people made jokes when Ernhardt and Senna died, too.  Like those drivers, Steve Irwin was the best at what he did, and when you're the best there will always be haters.