Having read many of these tributes, they have served to both comfort and reinforce the fact that there was, and only ever will be, ONE like Mr. Steve Irwin.
I have felt a little unnerved though, as some others here have, about the genuine feelings of loss since Monday's tragic news. In fact, I was beginning to think I was a bit emotionally unstable, or something was wrong that I could even begin to mourn over someone I had never met.
I saw the news on a Web site as it was broken Monday afternoon (Australian time). I was racing out to the pub, so I only just read the headlines and first paragraph. I dismissed it, like others did, as thinking there was a mistake, and later on an announcement would be made that he was just badly hurt, in the hospital and would be back up and at it in a few weeks.
But, once at the pub, as fully grown men were talking about it with beers in hand, shaking their heads and putting up the bravado that men in groups do to try and hide their emotions and shrug things off, it sunk in that it was real. There was a heavy feeling that churned inside as I realized the significance and implications of this loss for his family, conservation and the world in general.
So, later that night, when I began searching for more news at home, I can honestly say that it was the first time I have shed tears in 19 years. The only other time was when I was 17 and had my heart broken by my first true love. But in truth, that pales in comparison to the enormity of the loss that Terri, Bindi, Bob Senior and Junior and the rest of the crew would feel.
As a 36-year-old man who has never ever felt deeply moved by the death of anyone, let alone a "celebrity" (I have been lucky in my life so far), I have no qualms in admitting I have had tears in my eyes for three days. It's very weird in fact, as a lot of my mates would be ribbing me if they knew I had been crying over this, I feel.
The facts are, the guy was real. His enthusiasm and manner was certainly no act or staged persona for the cameras. No one has any bad things to say about him; they can't, because he treated everyone — humans and animals alike — with love and empathy equally at all times. To find these qualities in anyone is rare. To find these qualities in a globally successful "celebrity" is even rarer, if not impossible.
I think that is part of the loss that some people feel: that there is little else on TV worth watching, or very few others in the world who are as totally unselfish and genuine as Steve. But of course, the biggest reason why people have heavy hearts over this is they can relate to the guy, and because he is real and genuine they feel that connection with his family and worry over how his loved ones must be feeling right now.
When surfers die in Australia tributes often quote that, "Mate, I hope it's eight feet and glassy in heaven." So for Steve, I hope for you that your mom, dog and all the animals from the past are gathered around you as you wow them about your job and adventures on earth, and that in the background the waves are rolling in, eight feet and glassy, ready to be tamed whenever you feel like some R&R.
From a distant "mate"
Western Australia
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