COURTESY PHOTO
Last week, Google reminded us of one of the greatest individuals to grace the Earth. Steve Irwin unfortunately passed away a little less than thirteen years ago, in 2006; he would have been 57 this year. Irwin died doing what he loved, which was involving himself with nature. Since his passing, the internet has created a cult following for Irwin, respecting his legacy.
Irwin dedicated his life to informing the masses of what the world has to offer. He came to prominence as the host of Animal Planet’s television series “The Crocodile Hunter”. To some, he was a crazy Australian who wrestled deadly animals. To the others, he was one of life’s greatest teachers. Although he taught about wildlife, this wasn’t Irwin’s goal in life. Rather, Irwin simply wanted to show everybody the beauty the world elicits, and to remind us that we aren’t the only living things on our wonderful planet. He took viewers on an awe-inspiring adventure, even if it was only for an hour or two a day.
Despite PETA’s recent advertising tarnishing Irwin’s legacy, many around the world shared the same sentiment to nature as I did. PETA suffered extreme backlash for their attempts to discredit Irwin. Although PETA’s coverage of Irwin was controversial and disrespectful, they at least brought Irwin’s likeness to relevance. With this, many of Irwin’s admirers, myself included, were able to express our sentiments about how great he was. Many like myself grew up admiring him and what he gave to the world. Losing Steve Irwin brought us pain, but his memory and the knowledge he brought his fans will always be admired. Rest in peace, Steve Irwin.