Steve Irwin Died a Teacher First and Foremost

Paul Hogan played Crocodile Dundee on the silver screen, but Steve Irwin had the role on a daily basis. Best known in the US from his TV show “Crocodile Hunter,” Mr. Irwin was filming off Australia’s Great Barrier Reef when a freak accident with a stingray ended his life at 44 years. His homeland is in a state of shock, US TV covered his passing by rebroadcasting (excessively) footage of him feeding a crocodile while holding his month-old son, and most miss the point that he lived and died as a teacher, in the truest sense of the word.

The Aussie paper The Age wrote of him, “He was, after all, the epitome of the Aussie larrikin [A person given to comical or outlandish behavior, and a hefty dislike of authority]. This was a man without airs or graces, as comfortable rubbing shoulders with presidents and dignitaries — clad, of course, in his khaki shorts and half-unbuttoned shirt — as he was wrestling crocodiles in murky north-Australian swamps.”

Naturally, he had his detractors. Feeding the croc while holding his son was probably, in retrospect, not the most prudent course of action. And there were those who thought his handling of dangerous animals with frequency and no apparent fear sent the “wrong message” to impressionable kids. He probably owned BeeGee records, too – but people don’t get locked up for that (unfortunately).

What resonated about his “Crikey!” was that is was meant, it came from the heart that the stingray’s barb pierced. Animals and wildlife fascinated him, and he wanted to share that excitement with everyone. One of his Aussie pals noted, he was the boy who never grew up. At 44, he was still playing with lizards (well, really big lizards). That he got paid (he died a millionaire) to do what he did was probably a by-product of following his passion.

One couldn’t watch his show without coming away knowing just a tiny bit more than before one turned it on. And he always found something interesting to say about the fauna, even the species that didn’t have great sharp teeth. Whatever else he may have been, Mr. Irwin’s celebrity stemmed from his talent as an entertainer, the first talent any teacher must have, and a talent he used well. “If we can touch people about wildlife, then they’ll want to save it,” he once said. Pretty clever for an Ocker from Queensland.

Donations to his wildlife charity may be made here.

© Copyright 2006 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

Home