A Tribute to Steve Irwin

Don’t mourn, don’t cry, don’t be sad, that isn’t the way Steve would want to leave this world, for he was the happy-go-lucky, jolly fellow whose energy was boundless.

“Every morning when I wake up I’m raring to go. There’s simply not enough time for me, no time to waste. There is an animal in me I feed on everyday which allows me to work with creatures with a bond that is indescribable.”

His love for wildlife and crocodiles is unrivalled. His brash approach was at times controversial, yet he couldn’t care less, for he believed so strongly in the things he was doing. But that is the type of persona that the world will remember him, and one thing is certain, this man’s contribution to wildlife, animal conservation & nature is immense. It will forever be embedded in our hearts. There will not be another like him. He leaves behind a wife, two young children aged 2 and 7, and a legacy that will live on forever.

I’m sure he’s looking down on us from somewhere above, for the only reason for him leaving so early was that God felt he deserved a better place. Good guys always die young, he is no exception, and how ironic that he was killed by a stingray, the most placid of all creatures. He was only the third person in history to be killed by it.

At least he died doing the thing he loved and treasured the most, filming a documentary so that it can be shown to audiences worldwide, letting them know the importance of wildlife conservation. Although awfully premature, I personally feel that there isn’t a better way for him to die, and I sincerely believe he felt the same way too. He was that sort of person, he would rather get killed by an animal then die peacefully in his sleep. He’d rather leave this world with a bang, such is his character.

As Steve himself would say, “ Crikey!”

Yo Steve, if you happen to read this from somewhere over the rainbow, I sincerely thank you. You were a great man, an icon, larger than life, invincible yet unbelievably gentle & delicate when handling fragile animals. You were a great father, and I’m sure when Bindi & Bob grows up, they will be damn proud of you, and I’m sure they’ll continue your legacy. You were adored world-wide, including Singapore, where you accompanied me on Animal Planet every sleepless night during my darkest moments of my life. We share the same love for animals, and you were nothing short of someone I look up to and respect. I’ll never forget the scene when u cried your heart out in front of the camera when a crocodile died, seeing you feel so much for them made me tear too. You were an absolutely honest lad, and you’ll be remembered in every corner of the globe, for you have touched the hearts of millions, including mine.

In an episode of “Crocodile Tales”, you said, “Every single animal on this planet has a life, and no one, except God, has the right to take it away.”

In my tribute to you Steve, we share the same consensus, therefore I have promised myself as of 30 Sep 2006, I’ll never touch meat again.

I also promise that I will personally lay a bouquet of flowers for you in your Australian zoo. That’s the least I can do for you.

Thanks for all the memories mate, you’ll be sorely missed...

Steve Irwin
22 Feb 1962 – 04 Sep 2006

(yes mate, we almost shared the same birthday)



You’ll never walk alone,
Alvin