The Crocodile hunter...Gone?

Everybody knows him as the guy that goes around catching crocodiles, and speaking in that distinct Australian accent. Heck I've even imitated him a few times and gotten a few laughs out of it!

But then today some news surprised me. The crocodile hunter had died from a Stingray strike to the chest off Low Isle, 1,260 miles north of Brisbane. Honestly, it was the kind of things you'd joke about but never really thought it would happen. I mean there were so many times I'd catch myself saying "one day he's going to get bitten by one of them mean crocodiles", or "he's gonna get bumped on the head by a whale" or something...But then again I never really meant it.

I am not particularly found of the Steve Irwin but you have to admit, he was one of those characters you grew up with. He was among such Characters as Mighty Morphine power rangers, Sesame Street, Barney (although to most Barney the dinosaur is like the Devil incarnate...But that is usually because nobody wants to admit that they used to like the Purple fossil), and The Karate Kid (Only people in our generation or has lived through it knows the true meaning of "Wax on, Wax off"!).We grew up with him and he became part of our pop culture so to speak, an icon we've grown to know.

The story goes that Steve Irwin A.k.a. "The Crocodile Hunter", was doing a Documentary on Stingrays and that he was stung on the chest by one of the Stingrays. He was pronounced dead as he was taken away by the rescue helicopters.

Apparently according to the article Stingrays are generally passive and would only strike if (get this...)... They were stepped on! (everybody knows the trademark recklessness Steve Irwin sometimes puts himself into with the animals!) Now I'm not sure whether to laugh at that or feel bad about this guy who you loved to hate and imitate for laughs. All I can say is I'll never imitate the crocodile hunter without feeling a little bad...Thus ends the reign of an icon...Oh well.

Check out the article on Yahoo... http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060904/ap_on_en_tv/obit_irwin