I’ll never forget the day Steve Irwin passed away. It was September 4, 2006 and it was a Monday – I was working at an ice cream shop, and a friend texted me on my Nokia phone to tell me that the Aussie legend had died after a stingray barb had pierced his heart during the filming of a doco. I stood out the back of the shop, and like many Aussies that day, I cried and cried.
Steve, who was 44 when he died, was such a good dude: a larrikin, an animal lover, a family man, enthusiastic user of the word “crikey”, and a true blue Australian icon. The loss of The Crocodile Hunter was felt by millions, both Down Under and around the world.
Even though he’s gone, Steve has left an enduring legacy in the form of his family: wife Terri, daughter Bindi, 19, and son Robert, 14 and their continued commitment to the conservation of wildlife through their work at Queensland’s Australia Zoo and through their Wildlife Warriors organisation.
And in Los Angeles today he was honoured in an emotional ceremony as he received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His fam were all on hand to toast their late husband / dad with beautiful words, that had both them and the crowd of fans in tears.
Terri said: “Steve always said that he hoped his message of conservation would live on forever… It means the world to us that Steve’s memory will live on in so many ways” while Bindi expressed that: “Never in my wildest dreams imagined this would come true… Together we will continue to fight for everything Dad worked so hard for.”
Robert added that his father is an “inspiration to not only me, but to so many other people around the world. This tribute just shows how great his work was and that his impression on people will last for generations to come.”
Oh man, I’m crying all over again.
Also on hand to pay tribute to Steve were comedian Rove McManus and celeb chef Curtis Stone, as well as some critters, including this alarmingly large snake.
Okay so I’m scared shitless of that thing, but Steve wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
