So it was rather stunning to see the breaking news that Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, had died in a freak accident. ( full story ) I mean even I watched his shows and found them not just entertaining, but informative. I know that in many ways he was obnoxious and over the top too, but that is what sort of made him special, least to me. So he was brash, it didn’t really matter because you could see his passion in every word, in every action that he took. It wasn’t like some politicians who speak the talk but rarely do the deed. This guy was real and what he said, you knew it came from within. It wasn’t an attempt at being politically correct either. It was his mission, one that he did very well in life, and one that I hope will continue even with his death.
There are some who are too ignorant to understand what real passion is. They are too narrow minded and only see him for being loud, brash, and pushy even. Many in Australia have even referred to him as being more American than Australian, but it was their mistake. Sure he spoke up, and maybe he did take himself too seriously at times, but when you truly believe in something so fully, that can happen. I don’t fault him for that, in fact I found it rather refreshing for a change. You have too many like Bush or Harper who fake their passion, but with Steve Irwin, you knew it was all real, all him.
It really is sad, that even with the death of someone like him, some find it necessary to belittle his passion, his life, but I think in time, history will show that he was a rare man. He was one who said what he believed in, and did what he loved doing. Unlike many, he was real, someone we can truly look on as being worthy of emulation. Something people like George Bush and Stephen Harper will not have, for Steve Irwin was someone you could respect and honor, even in disagreement.