Well-known Austrailian "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin died early today from a severe injury caused from a stingray stabbing him in the chest.
It happened as Irwin was scuba diving and swam over the top of the stingray. It reacted and one of the fish's tail barbs hit him hard, going through his chest and into his heart.
Fans and detractors alike are in shock. He was 44 and leaves his wife and two children behind.
Many questioned his wisdom over doing the kind of stunts that he did, but over time he just seemed to anticipate every possible behavior displayed by the creatures he stalked. His reaction time was nothing short of astonishing. He didn't die facing a crocodile on land. He was hurt underwater, where his speed and reaction time were neutralized and the advantage belonged to the creatures of that underwater realm.
I still think his decision to hold his baby while feeding one of his crocodiles a couple of years ago was a very bad mistake and it harmed his public image. I referred to him as an idiot at the time. But the work he has done since then in the area of crocodile research aided the scientific community and his popularity rebounded after a while. His documentaries are facinating.
His legacy will endure through his research.
His death is being described as a "freakish" accident, but that's a demeaning way to describe how a man died. May he Rest in Peace.
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