If it hadn’t been for a tragic accident, legendary Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin would be turning 60 today.
The Australian wildlife expert was just 46-years-old when he sadly died after being pierced in the chest by a stingray while filming a documentary in 2006.
It should have been an innocent encounter for his children’s TV show, Ocean’s Deadliest, but Steve was hit by a fatal blow which left a two-inch wide gash across his hear.
"He just calmly looked up at me and said, 'I'm dying.' And that was the last thing he said," said cameraman Justin Lyons, who was filming Steve when he was struck.
An outpouring of grief followed with thousands of his fans visiting Australia Zoo, paying their respects and bringing flowers, candles, stuffed animals and messages of support.
Steve left behind his beloved wife Terri, who was in Tasmania with their two young children when she was told about her husband’s tragic fate.
Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here .
"I remember him at the airstrip waving goodbye. That was the last time we saw him," she said.
Heartbreakingly, Terri revealed that Steve had been thinking about retiring from his TV career before embarking on what would be his final adventure.
The environmentalist had spoken about wanting to focus on his family life and children, who were just eight and three at the time of his death.
The late star’s wife recalled: "I remember him saying to me 'I don't think I'm going to film anymore; I think I'm just going to spend time with my kids.'"
Terri first met Steve in 1991 when she was touring wildlife rehabilitation facilities in Australia - and it was “love at first sight”.
At the time, she said: “I thought there was no one like this anywhere in the world. He sounded like an environmental Tarzan, a larger-than-life superhero guy."
The author was actually convinced that Steve had a girlfriend when they first met because he seemed like the perfect man - and played a prank on her by pretending he was taken.
Terri explained: “I didn't know how to say, 'Hi, we've just met. Are you in a relationship?'
“I think he kind of sensed that, so he said, 'Would you like to meet my girlfriend?' I just felt utterly crushed.
"And then he called out, 'Hey, Suey,' and here comes this little dog, Suey. I went, 'Boom! No girlfriend!'"
They had a whirlwind romance and were engaged after just four months, then tied the knot in June 1992.
Although the Irwins were happily married, they chose not to wear wedding rings because of their line of work.
They feared that jewellery could pose a hazard to not only themselves but the animals they worked with.
“It’s dangerous,” said Steve in 2003. “Working with wildlife, there’s always the chance of getting any sort of jewellery hooked up.
“Not only could I put my own life at risk, but also the animals we work to save.
“Terri and I love each other very much and she totally understands that in my line of work, I simply cannot wear one. Terri, also, for the same reason doesn’t wear any rings.”
Steve's children, Bindi and Robert, who are now 23 and 18, would go on to honour his legacy and follow in his footsteps.
Robert is a wildlife photographer and has also hosted a variety of wildlife television shows.
His daughter Bindi, who welcomed daughter Grace Warrior Irwin Powell in March, is now honouring her dads legacy while working as a wildlife conservationist.
She continued to work on the conservation site and star in educational TV series, and in 2008, Bindi won an Emmy Award for her work in Bindi: The Jungle Girl series.
Bindi met husband Chandler Powell while hosting tours at the family's zoo when he arrived as a guest.
After a short engagement, the happy couple tied the knot just six months after Chandler's proposal, with Bindi's pregnancy announced a few months after their March 2020 wedding.
To mark what would have been her dad's 60th birthday, Bindi shared a sweet snap of the pair on Instagram and said she loved him "with all my heart".
She also promised that his legacy lived on in the emotional tribute to her "wildlife warrior" dad.
Bindi wrote on her post: "Happy Birthday to the greatest dad and Wildlife Warrior.
"Today I'll watch 'The Crocodile Hunter' with Grace Warrior and share stories about her incredible Grandpa Crocodile.
"I love you with all my heart. Your legacy lives on."
Son Robert also shared a throwback snap of him and his dad as the late star took the then toddler on a ride on his motorbike.
He wrote: "Happy birthday Dad. Love & miss you every day. My earliest memories are my fondest thanks to you.
"Hanging on to the handlebars of the motorbike, on your morning lap of the zoo. Every minute with you was a blessing.
"I’m gonna ride that lap on your old motorbike this afternoon."
Earlier this month, Robert was almost eaten by a crocodile as it lunged at him in heart-stopping footage captured for the famous family’s TV show.
Robert was trying to discover if the reptile, named Casper, was comfortable in his new surroundings after being moved at the zoo, and he managed to escape by the skin of his teeth as he almost ended up on the menu.
The crocodile was less than a metre away from Robert as he shouted "bail, bail, bail" and sprinted away from the enclosure.
Do you have a story to sell? Email webfeatures@trinitymirror.com
