A close friend of Steve Irwin has revealed the Crocodile Hunter's final words as he realised death was moments away. The revelation comes on the 20th anniversary of his death, marked on September 4.
Irwin died while filming a nature documentary about stingrays on the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns. He was struck in the heart by a barb from the very creature he was filming.
Cameraman recalls final moments
Speaking on 60 Minutes' Steve Irwin: A Wild Life, cameraman Justin described the moments before disaster struck. He said: "We zipped around for 10-15 minutes before we found the stingray. And then, it was like, okay, game on. I mean, we'd only filmed with stingrays a hundred times before. They were awesome to film with. So we both slipped over the side of the rubber ducky and, yeah, started filming this amazing massive — it was massive — bull ray."
Justin was filming Irwin at sea when the accident happened. His account lays bare the final moments of the man known worldwide for his infectious approach to conservation.
Family tributes mark 20 years
Bindi Irwin, who was eight when her father died, shared a video of him recounting "the most incredible wildlife encounter of my life" — the birth of his daughter. She said: "Twenty years ago, today, the world lost the most passionate and dedicated wildlife conservationist. Our family lost our superhero. My mum lost the love of her life; my brother and I lost the greatest dad."
She added: "Grief never truly leaves us; we walk alongside it every day. Where there is enormous grief, there is even greater love. I always thought that my dad's legacy is wildlife conservation; it turns out, his legacy is love. For our planet and for each other."
Bindi noted that her five-year-old daughter watches her grandfather's documentaries every morning and feels "utterly loved by her 'grandpa crocodile', despite never meeting him." She said: "My dad left a lasting impact so poignant that it will ripple out for generations to come. I believe with my whole heart that his love will live on forever."
Robert and Terri remember
Robert Irwin shared a photo of himself with his father, captioned: "Your legacy is forever." Terri Irwin remembered her final weeks with her husband, saying "grief still walks with me like my shadow." She said: "With the passing of time I have gained more perspective and understanding. We were together as a family, on our crocodile research expedition, for what was to be our final six weeks together."
She continued: "Ours was to be a long and sweet goodbye. Steve spent time with Bindi and Robert building swings and climbing trees. We all slowed down. Time slowed down. I believe that all of us, every one of us, gets to say goodbye. We just may not know that we're saying it. Hold every moment dear with the ones you love. Until we meet again."
