I guess what I disliked most about the interview was that Matt (whom I normally really like) kept at him and kept saying, "let me speak here" while Steve kept rambling on and on saying the same thing -- obviously very passionate about his beliefs. Matt kept ignoring whatever Steve said and kept repeating things like "but you have to admit that if. . ." No, Steve didn't have to admit that, yet I felt he came out on the short end of the stick interview-wise.

I can't stand Matt Lauer although I do think he held his own against Tom Cruise. He a Katie Couric are the reason I stopped watching the Today Show years ago.

It is always an unfortunate situation when someone so young dies.

I just got back and heard this horrible news. My heart goes out to his lovely wife, daughter and little son.

I can only add to your posts by saying that I will always admire anyone who follows their dreams and goes for it, whether I understand it or not. Steve has always impressed me as one who is extremely knowledgable and only took "calculated" risks with caution.

I have taken my children to swim with stingrays on several different occasions, so I guess to many of you I'd be in the same boat as Steve. But what a compliment, as far as I'm concerned!

TheWeasel, thank you for your posts on Fodors. You have an excellent way of relaying information while often saying very well what so many of us are thinking.

More than anything, we owe Steve Irwin for the education and conservation he has brought to our planet! Why can't everyone just focus on that?! And if you are unaware of ALL he's done, maybe you need to educate yourself on that.

Has anyone ever swam near a stingray? Anyone that snorkels in the Caribbean will have probably been close to one. They're not known to be that dangerous.

Of course, the whole Irwin holding the baby thing was not safe. But I agree with Neopolitan that showing those clips ad nauseum is not appropriate in light of the fact that the man just died. Why not highlight all that he has done for wildlife and Australia as a whole (including tourism revenue).

Yes, I've swam with them by accident in the Florida Keys (I thought it was the shadow of the boat it was so large) and in the Abacos.

I accidentally swam with a couple in Turks & Caicos. I wasn't that scared, even though I have a major shark phobia. One of the big attractions in Grand Cayman is Stingray City.

So sad! He sometimes came off as a little bit of a nut ball - but his enthusiasm for nature and love of all it's creatures was so infectious.

I've swam with them many times ( they are all over the waters of South Fla and the Keys.

As I mentioned earlier, I did visit Stingray City and it was the highlight of our trip. The stingrays seemed like such gentle animals, that's why this came as such a surprise to me.

I don't think the sting ray "attacked" him as was mentioned on CNN. As many of you know, these are huge creatures and all they would have to do is casually flick their barbed tail and if you're in the wrong place it might not be good, as was the case with Steve.

I also swam with the stingrays in grand cayman, while in the water I was cut on the big toe by ones barb and it bled alot and was pretty painful. I'm sure this doesnt occur often though.
Susan

Very sad. Our son discovered Steve Irwin on television several years ago and we would watch along with him, sometimes and enjoy how Steve brought us into the wild with him. Steve had a great sense of humor, zest for life, and taught conservation and respect for nature. He was definitely a "unique" and will be missed.

Here is an article on the circumstances of his death and stingrays, which is quite interesting. There are several links on the side of the page with other articles about him and the loss:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...12-601,00.html

My DH accidently stepped on the bony ridge down the back of a stingray and his skin was cut a tiny bit. We cleaned it very well and put medication on it, but he still got very sick. As someone above said, stingrays can be quite dangerous even unintentionally and without any type of attack.

Crefloors - I thought the same thing. Irwin really had a great bond with Bindi Sue. I remember seeing them on TV together (think it mighta been Oprah) and Bindi Sue, even at a very very young age, seemed to be following in the family footsteps. The look on Irwin's face - amazement, love, etc. as he watched and listened to Bindi as Oprah chatted to her was just neat. With all of his incredible adventures on TV, and some questionable actions (don't we all have some of those?) this was one of those moments that I remember most about Irwin....

Thank you, Orcas, for posting that link!

BayouGal, I accidently stepped on a barnacle covered rock in a tidal inlet and it took three months and three cycles of Cipro to clear up. I was climbing back into the boat (we were in about five feet of water).

It has been three years and the bottom of my foot is still scarred.

GoT, it can be quite scary what can happen with sea creatures in quick little insignificant encounters. I hope you read that article Orcas gave the link for - good information. I didn't realize those rays were more aggressive, but I guess they're the ones that had already given rays a bad name, so-to-speak. I was scared at first in the Caymens, but when our most cautious dd grabbed onto one and was pulled through the water, I realized that if she could do it, then anyone could do it, and got over my fears. Do you know that same ray kept coming back to her over and over? Even the boat captain noted that they'd formed an attachment.

What a great LOSS - a man who loved this earth and his family so much. He will be missed!

I am devastated by his untimely death.
Whatever opinion a person might have about his profession, the fact is, he touched many lives and opened many eyes. I watched his show with both my boys as they grew up. His humor and antics were never boring!
He was a devoted family man. His passion for life and protecting the habitat of Australia and elsewhere set a wonderful example in the same way of Jane Goodall and many others who were fulfilled with their choices and inspiration to others.
I regret that his kids won't have him here to grow up with...and we won't have him to take our mind off the everyday mundane.
A sad day for earth, a good day for heaven.

Amen!

Right now I am watching Larry King Live, where they are showing an interview w/Steve from 2004. If you can't tune in now, they will re-run it at 11pm Central time if anyone cares to record it. Of course check your local listings for air time.

This doesn't seem real, I still can't believe he's gone.