Most, if not all of us, know who Steve Irwin is. He made it his mission to educate the world about nature and how to treat wildlife properly. Steve was the beloved ‘Crocodile Hunter,’ known by many worldwide. However, in 2006 tragedy struck, and he lost his life.
He was filming a documentary about the Ocean’s deadliest creatures, entitled, ‘Ocean’s Deadliest.’ At the time of filming, Steve was stung in the heart by a sting ray barb while snorkeling between takes in the Great Barrier Reef. Steve Irwin’s wife has since given many interviews advocating for wildlife, and of course, addressing the many questions of fans.
November 15 is #SteveIrwinDay. I hope you’ll join me in celebrating the world’s greatest Wildlife Warrior. pic.twitter.com/w7IiNT3tpb
— Bindi Irwin (@BindiIrwin) November 9, 2022
Steve Irwin’s Wife Shares His Message
One of the first things to note about the death of Steve Irwin, according to Terri Irwin, is that he likely wouldn’t have been surprised by his death. “He never thought he’d have a long life. He always kind of had this sense his life would be cut short.” She shared during the interview with ‘Anh’s Brush with Fame‘. Given the nature of his job, there were many safety concerns.
He tangled with some of the world’s most dangerous creatures but also had a passion for treating those creatures with kindness and dignity. Furthermore, no matter how pure his intent was, they were wild animals that responded based on their instincts. When they feel scared, threatened, or hungry, their instincts take over, and they often become aggressive.
Harsh Realities of Juggling Life
Both Steve and Terri Irwin felt a sense of guilt regarding their kids. During that interview, Terri Irwin said, “I remember him saying to me ‘I don’t think I’m going to film anymore, I think I’m just going to spend time with my kids’.” She continued, “I just remember this incredible sense of responsibility, this feeling of overwhelming grief but ‘what do I do next?’. I kind of collected my thoughts and then had to go out to the car and tell Bindi and Robert … which was really hard.”
Terri Irwin said that even knowing the outcome, she’d do it again the same way. “If I had to do it all over again, even knowing how it ended, I would in a minute,” she said. “I feel I was so blessed. I had the best 14 years, two beautiful children, and just a romance like I didn’t think existed anymore.”
Kids Carrying on a Legacy
Together the couple had two children who’ve carried on their father’s lifework. The family still works with organizations worldwide to conserve wildlife and care for the animals for which Steve and Terri Irwin felt such a passion. Bindi, their daughter, was eight at the time of her father’s passing. She read his eulogy and expressed her passion for her father and for his work.
She stated, “I don’t want daddy’s passion to ever end. I want to help endangered wildlife just like he did. I had the best daddy in the whole world.” She continued, “I know that daddy had an important job. He was working to change the world so that everybody would love wildlife like he did.“
The part of Steve’s life that he loved the most was being a dad. He would be so very proud. pic.twitter.com/eUnjnYRVCY
— Terri Irwin (@TerriIrwin) September 4, 2022
Terri Irwin Shares Her Greif
Terri Irwin explains that Steve expected his life would be short. She shared that he had tampered with the idea of quitting show business to be with his family. And she explained that he had a deep-seated passion for nature, its oceans, and its wildlife. Like many of his fans, she still carries him in their hearts.
When the news of his death went worldwide, Terri Irwin also expressed gratitude for the millions of fans who shared their thoughts of warmth for the family and their grief at the news of Steve’s passing. Shortly after his passing, Terri Irwin sat down with Barbara Walters to give the first interview where she expressed that, “No one would’ve been more surprised than Steve at the outpouring at grief and love.”
Keep Reading: Steve Irwin’s eerie ‘farewell’ speech to his crew before his death is revealed
Sources
- “Widow of Beloved ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Speaks Out.” ABC News. September 26, 2006.
- “Steve Irwin’s widow reveals he ‘never thought he’d have a long life’. Today. Ree Hines. July 19, 2018.
- “Steve Irwin ‘wanted to give up TV for kids’ prior to his death, Terri says.” ABC News. Patrick Williams. July 18, 2018.