According to everything I read, he was following and swimming above the ray, which people often do. It was a freak accident, but he certainly knew it was there.
http://www.stingraycitytrips.com/photo_album/index.shtml
There’s some pictures of people snorkling with stingrays in Cayman Islands. I was there for a work trip and the dive shop was booked up the Saturday before my meeting, or I would have definitely done this.
My Wife and I did that off of the coast of Belieze. Swam with Blue Tips too. You just never know.
I think Steve was a bit reckless at times and I always imagined some King Cobra would do him in. (Cobras give me the willies.) However, he was a great entertainer, if not a bit wacky, and was passionately devoted to wildlife. I hope his wife and kids are able to honor his memory by living life to the fullest. Personally I’d rather die by a stingray than in a retirement home. We only have so many moments on earth. Live.
no hijack intended, but recently a vet (and eventually, his entire staff) was infected with rabies after handling a horse.
(sorry, i have no more details as it was in a neighboring county, and I don’t read their newspaper. I can get a followup if need be.)
I don’t believe that animal handlers are due their comeuppance.
Considering how much time that Irwin spent OFF ROAD while doing his honorable work, I actually DO consider the cause of his death to be similar to a frequent driver’s traffic death.
It’s not, by necessity, his fault. He just happened to be more likely to expire via a freak animal-induced injury than an auto-crash.
After ten hours, I’ve finally been able to cry. That man was made of love and passion. It 's a rare thing these days.
Here here on the stingray. What a vibrant example to others! Everyone has the potential to live life to the fullest such that this risk of death is even possible.
But, alas, too many of us focus on less important things and, coincidentally, expire in less memorable ways.
Good on Steve for ensuring that his message will be heard.
ok. Thanks for the (several) corrections on the child in question.
I liked Irwin’s TV show–my older kids watched all those shows: Kratt’s Creatures, Steve Irwin etc. Learned alot, but also learned to respect animals and the environment (reinforced in RL by me).
I still say his taking an infant into that compound was foolish. No one knows how an animal will respond–not 100%.
That said, I am sorry for his family’s loss and our loss as well. I did not know he was buying habitat. I remember his Fedex commercial-which was hysterical. Maybe not so much, now. Not only is there a personal loss for his loved ones, but the world has lost a charismatic spokeman for animals and environment.
I don’t get the blaming the guy for his death, though. He’s not responsible for his own death. The stingray is. Should he have stayed out of the water? 
And to whoever upthread–I, too, was very upset by Henson’s death. It was straight out pneumonia, IMS, he had overworked and could no overcome it. Young people do die of such things, still–it just doesn’t happen often anymore. Such a waste and loss.
Actually, not to hijack the thread, but Henson’s doctor wanted him to seek further treatment, and he refused and went back to work. He even lied to Oz, when asked about it. So that death was avoidable.
i’m sorry he died when his kids were so young. i’m sure he would have liked more years with them, his wife, and his work.
you do take a risk when you work with animals, even the cute and cuddly domestic ones. you take risks just walking the streets. in some professions the risks are just more up front day to day and in the front of minds of those that know you.
is it unexpected that a policeman, fireman, a person in the military, an elephant keeper, be killed on the job? is it unexpected that a fisherman die at sea? no. just very sad, awful, and horrid for those left behind; those who knew them personally or knew of them by media.
I move that we table the criticisms of Steve Irwin for now, or maybe start another thread - it doesn’t seem like the time or the place to argue over whether or not he knew what he was doing or not. He’s dead - that seems like all the judgement that’s needed.
thanks, that helps, a good, funny moment to remember him fondly by.
Someone on Animal Planet just said that when he was in with the crocodiles while holding his son, there were several cameras going, and in the video clip where it looks like the crocodile was thisclose was actually just that camera’s angle making it look that close, and also that the crocodile was tied back.
Was his show on TV in Australia? The only time I ever really saw him, other than on the news, was the Denton interview. That made me realise he was a decent bloke, not just a clown.
His death is similar to getting kicked in the head when walking behind a horse. Freaky but sounds like he was out of his element. Sad.
I have to admit I rarely watched him in action – mostly because nature shows these days are something I tend to rarely watch – partly because the wife doesn’t like them and because I can rarely find the time to watch them on my own.
Now, I i did grow up with nature shows with with the likes of Marlin Perkins (Wild Kingdom) and Hal Linden (Barney Mill– er, I mean, Animals! Animals! Animals!) in the early 80s (via reruns), so I do have an appreciation for nature shows, and from what I saw of Irwin, he outclassed them all by virtue of making wildlife shows interesting and fun. He captured the spirit of nature in all its glory and wrapped it up in an educational package that wasn’t merely informative, but fun and humorous in ways kids and adults alike could get excited about. There are far too few programs like that with people like him around to bring nature, and the need to respect it and conserve it, to the collective consciousness of Man, and it’s a real shame he should be taken from us too soon.
Who gives a flying smeg if he was a good self-promoter? That’s part and parcel of how he brought his messages to the people. How that can be a bad thing is beyond me.
The latest I just heard on TV is that one station is having a news special tonight on how to help your child cope with grief as apparently many are distraught.
It has been pointed out that Irwin’s death was his own fault. As a responsible and high profile Australian he should, when outdoors, have been wearing sunscreen in order to block out harmful rays.
I will really miss Steve Irwin. His appreciation of wildlife, his excitement with his work and his family, and his conservation efforts all make me so glad to have had him here on this earth and sorry that he died so young. I wish I could have met him when he was alive to thank him for all the work he has done and to tell him how much I respect him. I don’t think I have ever seen a celebrity that was so open about how much he loves his wife and children or how much he cares about his work. Thank you for all the work you have done Steve, your presence will be missed.
The crocodile was certainly not restrained - in the footage in question, Steve is holding the babe in his left arm and feeding the croc with his right. He also “walked” Bob along the grass of the enclosure, about a metre from the head of the animal. Very scary stuff, which led to a big public backlash in the Australian media.
I’m sad to see him go - I met him in April this year, and was impressed with his candour. Although our viewpoints were in opposition, and the argument got quite heated, he really listened to me.
You’re a right bastard Princhester. 
(kam files that one away to claim as her own at work tomorrow) 
Mind who you try it out on.
I tried it out on my PA and I got a look like I was something to be scraped off one’s shoe. Too soon, apparently. If I’d waited a week, she’d have laughed, I reckon.