As some of you may know by now I'm Australian, what you don't know is that I grew up just down the road from Australia Zoo and Steve Irwin.
Steve and Terri Irwin lived at the zoo, living in a rural area we had lot's of wildlife around our house and this meant from time to time animals got hurt.
I remember the first time I met steve I was about eight years old, a rainbow lorikeet had smashed into the window of our house and seriously hurt itself. It was late afternoon on the weekend and we knew the zoo had a hospital and trained staff so we wrapped the little bird in a towel and placed it in a cardboard box, with some holes for airflow and were off to the zoo.
When we arrived at the large gates we were greeted by about five dogs very friendly and excited to see us, the emu that accompanied them however was not so thrilled - and as we soon found out Steve got harassed by the emu to.
Shortly after the dogs and emu appeared, Steve came jogging up to the gate to see what was going on. Like always he was in his signature khakis with his mop of blond locks hanging messily atop his head, he was a bit puffed he had obviously run a fair distance through the zoo to the gate to see us after hours.
With the emu pecking at the back of his head he attempted to have conversation with us including something along the lines of "Don't mind the dogs it's the emu that thinks it's the guard dog here", we quickly explained that we had an injured bird and he was on it we handed over the hurt bird and he thanked us for bringing it to him - said farewell and was of on a run again to get the beautiful bird some much needed attention.
Over the years we have a few more instances mostly with butcher birds, they eat spiders that like to hang out on our windows and awnings. We even had an issue with an echidna once poor thing had been hit by a car - let me tell you spines are all good as a defence mechanism but it makes it fricken difficult to help the poor thing when it's been injured.
Each time he was polite and kind and took the animal to get it the care it required, we never got to spend a lot of time with him or know him well personally - but as a family of massive animal lovers (7 cats and a dog at one time O_o) we loved his commitment and passion to all animals.
I grew up watching him on tv and seeing him in person Steve Irwin became a massive influence on my life, as a child if you asked me what I was going to be when I grew up it was to be a vet - I even spent my school holidays volunteering at our vet and watching surgeries and helping out, animals were my everything.
So when the news broke on the 5th of September 2006 that Steve Irwin had been killed, I like most Australians I was devastated - I wept for the extreme loss I felt, a loss for humanity and the world and all it's creatures.
For the first time since September 11th 2001 Australian tv played only footage of one event our, corner of the world stood still and wept for the man who fought to protect every animal to understand them and to love them was gone.
He had been such an integral part of our cultural identity especially in America - Steve Irwin was and will be the only person who can pull off the catchphrase "Crikey" I have never met another Australian who said it naturally in conversation it was just Steve or in mention of him - that's the power he had, he made an entire content think all Australians spoke like he did.
Australia stood still Every channel on tv was about Steve Irwin they had people at the zoo, people onsight where it happened and then they started playing constant streams of the Crocodile Hunter.
The day following his death Australian parliament opened with condolence speeches from both major parties, the flags on the Sydney Harbour bridge were lowered to half mast and thousands of fans flocked to Australia zoo to pay tribute to the fallen legend.
I had never felt such a sense of loss over someone I barely knew, it seemed as though Australia was in a state of disbelief not only that he had been killed but also that it was a stingray not a croc - we had just all assumed that would eventually be the way he went.
Two days ago was the ten year anniversary of his death a tragic accident that stole our true blue Aussie legend and as I sit here writing about meeting him for the first time and looking over the details of what happened all those years ago - I again have tears streaming down my face.
I feel such a deep sense of profound loss, not so much a personal loss but a loss for the world and for animals everywhere, when will we again see a man with such commitment and dedication to his work and most of all an undying passion for the animals he strove to protect.
Even with the immense sense of loss I still feel today, I know he went out doing what he loved working with animals and trying to raise awareness for animal rights.
He used education and an outgoing persona to engage an audience that was only interested in violent shows and drama, so he gave you nature with danger and adrenaline and then educated you while entertaining you - like the genius he was.
I sit and remember him for who he truly was an Icon and legend in his own right, as I feel my eyes again brim with tears I am saddened that he was taken from us too soon - but what he accomplished in his life will live on forever in the work he did and the memories that live on in each of us who watched an episode of the Crocodile Hunter.
