We all remember the late Steve Irwin for his intense love for animals.
He dedicated his life to them, working as a zookeeper and conservationist, and he worked hard on educating the whole world about the beauty and importance of nature, wildlife, and the habitats they lived in.
His bright, cheerful personality brought smiles to so many faces!
Steve passed away at the age of 44, back in 2006, shocking the whole world.
In his wake, he left behind his wife, Terri, and two kids.
Terri knew him better than anyone else, and recently, she’s revealed some surprising insight into the animal-loving man’s life.
On Anh’s Brush With Fame, a TV show in Australia hosted by artist and comedian Anh Do, Terri Irwin was invited to speak and share her story.
The interview started light, but soon touched on the subject of Steve himself.
It was an emotional conversation, and that’s when Terri decided that it was the right time to come clean about a dark secret that the man had.
According to Terri, Steve had never believed that he would have a long life, and he always thought that his time would eventually come to a sudden end due to the nature of his work.
After all, he was around all sorts of wild animals in a dangerous job, and he knew how quickly he could die to any one of them.
Steve may have been an expert, but he was also aware that it would only take a split second for him to be killed.
This is what eventually occurred, as Steve was attacked by a stingray while he filmed in Queensland, Australia for Ocean’s Deadliest.
The stingray pierced his chest, and he passed away.
When Terri first received the news of his passing, she felt overwhelming grief – but also a strong sense of responsibility.
She had to think of what to do next, especially how to break the news to her children.
She now remembered the last time she ever saw him – while he was boarding a plane to go to the filming destination, waving goodbye to her as he left.
Terri is immensely thankful for all the support and kindness that she and her children received in the wake of her husband’s passing.
They received countless amounts of love and compassion that helped them get through a difficult time.
Since then, the whole family has continued Steve’s work.
Bindi Irwin herself has begun to make her mark on the wildlife world, etching a name for herself as she continues doing similar work to what her father did.
One of the things that Terri found most incredible about Steve was how he never allowed fame to get to his head.
He was close to family, never became pretentious, and stayed humble the entire time.
Everything he made would go back to his efforts in wildlife conservation. It’s something she’s very proud of.
Though Steve’s life met an early end, he lived happily, and he can rest easy knowing that his legacy continues to thrive in the capable hands of his family and the many people he’s inspired around the world.
