While grieving his loss in 2006, Steve Irwin, popularly known as “The Crocodile Hunter,” left a lasting influence on the world.
Considering how young he was at the time, everyone was stunned by the horrible incident, which happened about 12 years ago.
Terri Irwin spoke openly about Steve Irwin’s passing in an interview. In a recent interview for the Australian television show “Anh’s Brush With Fame,” Terri made this endearing comment.
The 53-year-old widow came on the program to advocate for her work against culling, but the conversation quickly turned to her late spouse. She assured his supporters that her wacky husband Steve wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised.
“He never thought he would live a long life. He was plagued by a recurring feeling that his life was about to end.
Steve was unfortunately right when, in Queensland, Australia, while filming “Ocean’s Deadliest,” a stingray approached him and punctured his chest with its barb. Following the event, Terri was notified to get in touch with her zoo manager. Recalling the moment she discovered Terri says,
“This overwhelming sense of obligation and this excruciating suffering are all I can remember, but what should I do now? It was really hard to tell Bindi and Robert outside the car, so I kind of collected my thoughts before doing so.
Terri’s eyes welled with tears as she recalled her last encounter with her spouse, who had lingered to complete the documentary filming, prior to her and the children boarding a flight to Tasmania.
I remember him waving to me at the end of the airstrip. That was the last time we saw him.
“It’s difficult every day, and after 11 years, grief changes from a rock in your heart to a friend,” she said. She continued, “It’s always there, and I never really know when it’s going to hit me.”
Terri has revealed that she is still coming to terms with Steve Irwin’s death.
She went on to claim that even though she misses Steve “constantly,” she still feels lucky to be living her “happily ever after” with the nature fighter.
On September 4, 2006, Steve, then 44 years old, was filming on the Great Barrier Reef near Port Douglas when he was bitten in the heart by a stingray.
Terri admits that he would have been shocked by the amount of support that arose after word of Steve’s passing circulated. “The outpouring of love and grief would have surprised Steve the most.”
Sadly, he passed away from his wife and their two small children, who continue to share their father’s passion for the outdoors. Terri asserts that she has always valued Steve’s refusal to allow his years of fame go to his head, even in spite of his boasts, adding,
Steve had never heard the word “famous.” He was never arrogant or self-important, and I was very proud of the fact that we donated all of our income to the protection of wildlife. I loved that about him.
We can probably safely conclude that this is part of the reason why he was so well-liked and the chatter about him was so endless. Thankfully, his loving wife and children are continuing his incredible legacy.