Crikey!!!

That was the "signature" exclamation of Steve Irwin:

I think it's a quite appropriate reaction to the news of his untimely demise, and one I feel certain he'd appreciate.

In an ironic turn of events, he was fatally struck in the heart yesterday by a stingray on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Ironic because he took a lot of calculated risks with creatures far more dangerous than the relatively benign stingray. Excluding violent allergic reactions, I would venture to guess that the statistics for death by stingrays is nearly nil. Rays usually only sting as a defensive reflex; generally when inadvertently stepped on in the case of humans, for whom their venom typically causes nothing more than a very painful sting.

By being struck directly in the heart, this was just an instance of extremely bad luck. None of us knows when our time will be up, but 44 seems to be far too young to die, although there are worse ways to go than in the midst of doing that which you love. Still, I was shocked and saddened to hear the news.

I've been swimming with rays in various places all over the world, including the Great Barrier Reef, but most recently last Summer in the Bahamas.

Here's a picture of one I swam with there:
(It tickled when he/she swam over my feet)

I think Steve Irwin was fairly well-known, but to review...in 1992 (coincidentally, the year I was in Australia) "The Crocodile Hunter" started being aired by the Discovery Network, and in 2002 he starred in the feature film "The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course."

He always seemed like an affable kind of guy. He is survived by his wife Terri, daughter Bindi Sue and son Bob.

Steve, we hardly knew ye...