brenda, i was quite surprised, yet not. know what i mean? though i do feel the world and i, personally- once it sinks in, will be at a loss. funny, b/c famous people's deaths usually don't touch me. i hope that didn't sound cold!

i believe some will be interested in this.

Here is a link that might be useful: cnn's

I enjoyed Steve Erwin to the utmost and so did my little Eric. So sad. It's ironic that although many in his line of work do put their lives on the line, this tradgedy was totally a fluke. What are the odds that a stingray would puncture ones chest cavity?

When your time is up, it's done. That's what I see.
He'll be truly missed and my heart goes out to his family as well.

I'm so, apologizing to Steve.
I spelled his name wrong!
I'm such a Sheila. (sp?)

"I have to admit that I never really admired the guy, and he sometimes irritated me with his loud, hyper, Aussie self."

We didn't watch his stuff for exactly the same reasons but yet, I DID admire his fervor. It is very hard to find people that are THAT passionate about something (anything). You can't help but feel sorry for his family.

Perhaps this just shows that when one's number is up, it's up. As the song goes, all we are is dusts in the wind.

I know what you mean about the famous people thing, FTM. It's not cold, just...detached, since they're "up there", and we're "down here." I get sad when people like Don Knotts pass on, or Mr. Irwin, and I wonder if it's because television makes them seem closer.

I don't think he'll mind, Sheila. :D

I guess I felt sort of guilty for not looking past his outer persona (the one they tend to show on ads for upcoming episodes) into the one that mattered (the one we saw on the 2 episodes on Monday). I've always prided myself on not judging people by their "covers" or on first impressions. I blew it that time. :)

Brenda

I like the way this blogger said it.

Here is a link that might be useful: dad vs wild self

There's no need in feeling guilty, Brenda. You did state that you saw his more passionate side.

I think most people in the entertainment business do get cocky from time to time, but probably due to the pressure for ratings, etc. All of us vary in our outward personality in public or at home.

**Except for Mark, he's just always cocky*** Hee Hee :)

My kids and I loved watching Steve on Animal Planet. My son Noah got the biggest kick out of him and his wild antics.

I was in the shower when my husband heard the news on cnn and called out to Noah the Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray. My son came running down the stairs to watch the newcast with his Dad and when I came into the room I caught the tail end of it.

This is a sad time for animal conservatists. Steve was very passionate about his work and about getting the message out to the public on what needs to be done to preserve our wildlife for future generations and he when doing his things with the animals he always said not to try this at home and to leave it to the pros.

What bothers me the most out of all the reports that I have read on the news about him in the last couple of days is that they state that he was doing the tape for his daughters new show because what he had planned to do was not possible at that time due to weather conditions. This to me leaves the impression (from a childs point of view) that if I didn`t have show to do then Dad wouldn`t have been filming the stringray thus he would still be alive and this has been repeated several time on the new.

Do reporter not thing of what the content of their text implies????

Just my thoughts

Louise

here's what disturbs me: they keep focusing on that **** feeding with his infant son. yeah, ok, it happened. leave it where it is. this constant focus on that to me is freaking disrespecful to him and especially his family at a time like this.

I posted on that blogger's site, mainly because I'm tired of the way (pro and unpro) journalists relish the idea of tearing up someone after they're dead. They did it to Princess Diana (among MANY others) and now Steve Irwin, and they'll continue to do it. Why, I can't tell you, because garbage like that sure doesn't make ME want to buy/watch/read their publications.

The negativity associated with, and continually being reported about, Mr. Irwin is typical of the mainline media. The "Baby Bob" incident has been so blown out of proportion, it's ridiculous. That child wasn't in any more danger than he would have been riding around in a vehicle. It definitely wasn't a "Michael Jackson" incident.

I, for one, am glad that he influenced so many people (children included!). Who knows what his legacy will bring, but I can only hope it will be extraordinary.

And his daughter is the cutest little girl I've ever seen!! :D

Brenda

I was a fan from Day 1. Although he was often "over the top" and a bit repetitive, and in the early days there was more demand than programming and so Animal Planet just kept running the same ones over and over and OVER (until I quit watching until new ones finally got made).

But when the newer ones, with better financing and higher production values started coming out, they often DID show a lot of the personal side of Steve Irwin, like when he laid by his old dog, Suey all night long petting her before they had to put her down at a very old age, and he felt like much more than a celebrity to me... he really felt like a friend I just hadn't met in person yet, and he was one of the few "celebrities" I really wanted to meet in person one day.

What his enthusiasm did for interest in animal shows and conversation is likely immeasurable... I don't think there would be shows like Jeff Corwin and Nigel Marven if there hadn't been Steve Irwin first.

However, from the early days, I'd always said he took too many chances and one of these days he'd end up dead in the headlines from one of them... but I figured it would be from one of the SERIOUS risks, like the venomous snakes he'd handle recklessly, or the crocodiles he'd toy with, or maybe a shark... not from a real fluke, from something documented to have only killed two other people in HISTORY!

However, and please don't take this as morbid, I find it both ironic and poetic how he died, for he lived with nature in his heart, and died from a stab of nature to his heart.

He'll always have a place in mine, and my heart really goes out to all his family, friends and everyone who ever knew him, loved him, or wishes they could have.

Rest in peace, Steve.

Here's a link to a follow-up story with some new information just posted on the AOL Welcome Screen, for anyone who's interested... It's sad, but also kind of inspiring, because, for instance, his family decided on a private funeral with a public memorial to be held at a later date. The Australian government had offered to give him a State Funeral because he'd become such a national icon (which I mean, after koalas and kangaroos, really, if you thought of Australia, you DID think of Steve Irwin these days), but his dad said he was just an ordinary guy and wouldn't have wanted all that.

You can read more at the link below, plus see a nice family photo of him with Terri and both kids.

Peace,
Jeff

Here is a link that might be useful: Terri Irwin's Mom: She's 'Having Hard Time'

thank you, brenda.

thank you, jeff.

"cheers".