In the book My Steve, loving wife Terri Irwin chronicles her life with the Crocodile Hunter, from the time they met until his unexpected death from a stingray barb.
In the biography you come to learn how well suited the couple are. Prior to meeting Steve Irwin aka the Crocodile Hunter, Terri worked tirelessly to rescue cougars and campaigned on animal rights issues. Unsurprisingly, the couple hit it off when Terri visited what is now known as Australia Zoo, although Terri feared she may never hear from him again after she returned to her United States home.
We now know, of course, that Steve reconnected with Terri and the pair went on to marry. Their honeymoon, captured on film, started the Crocodile Hunter series of documentaries.
Reading My Steve, it’s clear that Terri never lost her love for her ‘soul mate’. In fact, at times it’s like reading about a woman in the first blush of love, such is her passion for ‘Steveo’. It’s also clear that the introduction of children Bindi and Robert to wildlife at an early age – thus incurring the wrath of the media, and threats of intervention from Children’s Services – was part of a family legacy.
Steve’s parents founded what is now known as the Australia Zoo, and were proud to pass their love of animals and conservation onto their children. At a young age Steve joined his father Bob on Crocodile wrangling trips, eventually refining the process until he became the Crocodile Hunter. Steve was equally determined that his children would become Wildlife Warriors.
The book also includes photographs of Steve, his family and friends, and one caption sums it all up,
Steve’s mother always said, “If I couldn’t see him, he was either on the roof or up in some tree.”
The man was fearless. Whether because he had a special relationship with wildlife or simply because he let his enthusiasm get the better of him isn’t clear. In truth, it’s probably a mix.
One interesting aspect of the book was Steve’s prescience. Terri believed his ‘six sense’ enabled him to connect to animals and sense them in a way others couldn’t. In a startling revelation (to me, at least) Terri tells that Steve believed that he would die young and that he made her promise that she would continue the Zoo and their conservation efforts if anything ever happened to him, and raise the children to be Wildlife Warriors.While many involved in raising wild animals in captivity talk about conservation, the Irwins put their money where their mouths were, reinvesting all their money back into the Zoo. When it started making a profit they purchased thousands of acres of land to protect the natural habitat for animals, and put their own labour into revegetating areas. They also funded research and actively participated in campaigns to protect whales, crocodiles and any other wildlife that they felt was under threat.
After reading My Steve, I have a new found respect for both Steve and Terri Irwin. When I first saw the Crocodile Hunter television show I dismissed him as a brash Aussie with a bit of a gimmick, but the reality is far from it. This book is a fascinating read and an inspiration. When you read about a man who lived every moment to the fullest you can’t help but feel inspired to do the same.
You can join the Irwins’ fight to save the world’s wildlife at Wildlife Warriors.
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