A Household Icon...Gone

Chad and I used to watch the Croc Hunter all the time. We watched the story of how he met his wife. We saw his wife waddling around after animals while pregnant and wondered why he would name his daughter after a pet. We loved his infectious love of animals and we aspire to teach Maya the way he taught his kids to love all animals. They say only the good die young and this is true of Steve Irwin. I can only hope that I die doing what I love best.

SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- Tributes from around the world are flowing in for Steve Irwin, the enthusiastic Australian "Crocodile Hunter" who enthralled audiences around the world with his wildlife adventures.

Irwin died Monday morning after being attacked by a stingray while shooting a TV program off Australia's north coast.

Irwin's manager and friend John Stainton said Irwin died doing what he loved -- filming life in the wild.

Typical of the hundreds of tributes that have been e-mailed to CNN.com is this one from Tina Treece of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: "Crikey, I miss him so much already."

From Auckland, New Zealand, Ashwin Prabhu writes: "To most of us he appeared immortal, always one step ahead of every animal he encountered."

Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who knew Irwin and his family well, praised him as a "passionate environmentalist" who promoted a serious conservation message.

"He made an extraordinary contribution to creating a widespread appreciation of the value and uniqueness of Australian wildlife," Howard said.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said his friend Irwin was "always the showman" who was generous with his time in promoting Australia.

Actor Russell Crowe told Australian media Irwin was "the Australian we all aspire to be."

Irwin was snorkeling at Batt Reef, a part of the Great Barrier Reef offshore from the town of Port Douglas, when the incident happened.

"He came over the top of a stingray that was buried in the sand, and the barb came up and hit him in the chest," Stainton said.

Irwin was in the area to film pieces for a show called "The Ocean's Deadliest" with Philippe Cousteau, grandson of Jacques, according to Stainton. But weather had prevented the crew from doing work for that program, Stainton said, so Irwin decided to do some softer features for a new children's TV show he was doing with his daughter, Bindi.

Irwin was director of the Australia Zoo on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. He is survived by his American-born wife, Terri, and their two children, Bindi Sue, born in 1998, and Robert (Bob), born in December 2003.

"The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," Stainton told reporters in Cairns, according to The Associated Press. "He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. He would have said, 'Crocs Rule!' "

"Steve was a larger-than-life force. He brought joy and learning about the natural world to millions and millions of people across the globe," said Discovery Communications founder and chairman John Hendricks in a statement. "We extend our thoughts and prayers to Terri, Bindi and Bob Irwin as well as to the incredible staff and many friends Steve leaves behind."

Irwin's enthusiastic approach to nature conservation and the environment won him a global following. He was known for his exuberance and use of the catch phrase "Crikey!"

"His message is really about conservation: He really wants to leave the world a better place for everybody," Animal Planet's Maureen Smith told CNN.com in April.

"It's unbelievable, really," Jack Hanna, the host of "Jack Hanna's Animal Adventure" and director emeritus of the Columbus (Ohio) Zoo, told CNN. "You think about Steve Irwin and you think of people who are invincible."

Hanna, a friend of Irwin's, noted that Irwin's persona of the Crocodile Hunter was no act. Irwin grew up around crocodiles, snakes and other animals at his parents' Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park and had been handling such creatures since he was a child.
"Steve really knew what he was doing. He was one of the finest reptile people in the world. He knew more about reptiles than anybody did. He was raised that way," said Hanna.

At Australia Zoo at Beerwah, south Queensland, floral tributes were dropped at the entrance, where a huge fake crocodile gapes, the AP reported. Drivers honked their horns as they passed.

"He has left a legacy: That people do love some of the unloved animals like crocodiles and reptiles that people wanted to kill," Stainton told CNN. "He's actually put a position in their hearts for them. I want that to continue. ... I want people to really go out there and remember Steve Irwin for what he really was, which was a great conservationist, saving wildlife and actually promoting wildlife that people didn't love."

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