"Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin Killed Today

[David In Indy]

Katie  -

That was beautiful. Thank you for posting it!

Australia is about as far away from the U.S. as is possible. But Americans have always been extremely fond of "Aussies". We are also very fond of the British. I have never met a fellow American who did not love Australia or the Australian people. And yes, you should be proud. Some of the greatest actors and actresses are Australian. Even my most favorite actor, Heath Ledger, is from the great country of Australia. Your country lost a great entertainer and a great man, when Steve Irwin died. We loved Steve here in the U.S. too. I have watched Steve's "The Crocodile Hunter" for years. He was immensely popular in this country. He will be greatly missed here in the United States too. 

Thanks again for that wonderful post Katie!   

[Kelda]

I came back form a relaxing holiday where I never lifter a newpaper or looked at the news once to the news Steve Irwin had tragically died. I was sooo sad. Not that I watch every one of his programmes but he was just a thoroughly nice bloke wasn't he? And Ozzie through and through.

His little girl doign that little speech. OMG - how gorgeous and heart rending was that?

[souxi]

I,ve just watched a video clip on my Yahoo where Steves widow spoke out for the first time since his death. She said their 2 year old son Robert is finding it very hard and really misses his daddy. Apparantly he said to her" I wish I could get sick mummy" she asked him why on earth he wanted to do that he said "so I can go to heaven and be with my daddy" 

[Katie77]

I watched the interview with Terri Irwin, and I came away knowing that those kids are in good strong hands.....At the same time, I hope the public dont make a martyr of this lovely woman, she is doing what any mother would do with her kids, if they lost their father...She has good people around her, and above all she has the spirit and the memories of a great guy like Steve to help her along the way.

Some of the things she said about Steve "he showed me how to walk out in the rain, jump in the puddles"....what a wonderful time she had with this man, and what a wonderful wife and partner she was to him.

There is no doubt, that Steve's work will continue, and his kids will grow up as he had planned.

[Katie77]

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  Re: Katie77....just an aussie sheila
« Reply #134 on: Today at 07:28:01 am »   

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Crikey what a day yesterday was......

We were up at 5am...still dark outside, left an hour later to make the drive to Brisbane, which ended up a 3 hour trip, to the airport, to pick up our 10 yr old grandson Dylan.....we all ready had 6yr old grandson Jai, with us...

Made the usual stops at Mcdonalds for breakfast on the way, and even though i am still on my diet, I couldnt resist a bacon and egg m'cmuffin....Picked up Dylan, and he hadnt had breakfast yet, so first KFC we saw, fixed that problem up.

We were heading up the Bruce Highway towards Australia Zoo, about an  hour from the airport.( even though, after 10 minutes, the kids were all ready saying "When are we gonna get there???)..

The Zoo is situated in the hinterlands about half hour from the Coast (we call it the Sunshine Coast)...was probably once a sleepy little village, when Steve's dad opened up his little reptile park there years ago, but not now....Roads have been expanded to cope with the traffic to the zoo, and when we got to the turn in to the zoo, there were thousands of cars.

First think as we drove in car park, were the flowers, the memorial signs and floral tributes on the old entrance....although, I had seen this many times on the t.v., to see it "live" made me fall apart....i unashamedly let the tears flow, as we drove past and made our way to the main car park.

Greeted by a camel, at the entrance, we walked thru the beautiful gardens into a wonderland of peaceful gardens and animal homes, first the koals, then aligators, then tasmanian devils, then dingos, then crocodiles, following a path that made us feel like we had stepped into someone's dream.....and we knew it was, it was Steve's dream.....We knew this was gonna be good, but we didnt expect it to be this good, the surroundings and animal enclosures would put any other zoo to shame, the cleaniliness of the place was unprecedented and the atmosphere was amazing.....

We moved in to the Crososeum, to wait for the crocodile show at 11.30...first show was a snake exhibition, not only was it educational, but as Steve would have it, there were also some comedy things in it too......then the bird show....these beautiful birds flying around us, from one side of the crocoseum to the other, landing near us, so we got what you might call "a birds eye view"....Then the "Crikey" call out competition....wow, did that echo thru the arena when everyone called out "Crikey"....and then the crocodiles....wow, never been so close, and now I have been, can see the beauty and the wonderment of these wonderful, albeit, dangerous, animals.

Of course there was the souvenir shop....laden with dols, tee shirts, key rings, you name it, they had it...and we spent a fortune there.

After the day was done, and we had seen everything, the kids had played on everything they could, was time to get going, we still had another hour and half drive home....

Bob went with the kids to get the car, and I went alone to the floral memorial....I walked along reading the messages, and thinking of Steve, and what a great bloke he was, and how I wished he could still be there to enjoy this wonderful place....I signed the condolence book, and read some of the loving messages that were in them, took a few more photos, then bid farewell to this happy wonderous place.

If there was ever a monument to this great man, then this place is the ultimate.

I took lots of pics, and I will send some thru each day.....the first ones today, are of the memorial tributes, later on I will send you some of the animals. 

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  I have copied this from my own blog, to share with you on this thread too....

[moremojo]

Sue, what a beautiful, heartfelt memorial is to be seen there for Steve. Here in the States, he seemed to be regarded as a figure of fun, with people doing double takes at his death-defying dances with critters strange and fearsome. He obviously touched many, many people on a much deeper level than that, and perhaps some did not realize that until his death awoke that understanding. Though he will be missed, his inspiring example will hopefully live on, and I feel that Steve would have wanted no higher honor than having instilled a love for the earth and all its myriad creatures in young hearts, the custodians of the future.

Shine on, Steve, shine on...

[delalluvia]

Your post and that memorial really choked me up, Katie.     Thanks so much for posting.

Steve, your dream will live on.

[2robots4u]

I was in the Seattle area when I read the news of Steve Irwin's death.  I was so shaken by that news that I removed myself from the room where I was visiting, went outside to a quiet spot, and shed many tear of love for the man who has done so much for the animals of this planet.  If we have learned anything by his presence in this world, I hope it would be that we, as guardians of this planet, have the responsibility to protect it.  But it is man who is doing the most damage to our home, so it is, now, that each of us must find a way to change that.  It is my greatest hope that Bindi Irwin will become her father's spirit in preserving the natural world, and that we each contribute what we can (I already do) to support her endeavors.  "...and a child shall lead them..."
l

[Katie77]

Thought I would add this photo to this section......

Look how Bindi has grown into such a beautiful young lady........

[delalluvia]

Wow. Bindi has grown UP.

She has continued her father's work and I hope she does this the rest of her life.  The animals need her.

Steve would be so proud.