Crocodile Tears

In my short 45 years of life I have never been so moved by the death of someone I have never met, let alone a celebrity.
All my life I have been in love with nature and fascinated by its diversity, beauty, mystery and splendor.
I remember when I was nine and ten years old we lived in the suburbs of Los Angeles yet we still had cats, rabbits, ducks, hamsters and fish for pets. Every chance we could get me and my best friend Scott would go out to the field behind our block and go lizard hunting. While other kids would through rocks at them and use them for target practice with their BB gun or sling shots. Scott and I had our own little catch, admire, enjoy their company and release program.
I thought that I was the only “animal nut” out there.
In my teens years I got the privilege to live in the woods in the pacific northwest. I am certain that I was the only kid with thirteen fish tanks, a parakeet, a white rat, a chipmunk, a tarantula, a piranha, hermit crabs, a cat and an incubator hatching chickens, just in my bedroom alone. Not to mention the rabbits, chickens, cows, pigs, a dog named Clarence and a billy goat named Icabod.
Today I am surrounded by animals and have an amazing job. I get to hang out with wolves. (if only it were that easy)
Not long ago speaking to a few hundred boy scouts, a man in the back raised his hand and asked the question “why are you so passionate about these animals”? My initial response was. Why?
Does it show?
I am crazy about wild life and am thrilled and even get the chills sometimes when I see a hawk soaring in the wind a giant bull elk crossing the road or wild turkey in a field.
I get to live and work in the woods and go to the city with a wild animal and teach people about wolves. A dream job, the way I see it!
But Steve Erwin, that guy had passion. Passion and love of nature like no other!
When he was nine years old he wasn’t catching lizards with his best friend. He was catching crocodiles with his dad and best friend.
He was providing safety and sanctuary for the hated and unwanted.
I, like so many other people around the world, was stunned and deeply saddened by his sudden death. It’s hard to believe that someone that possessed so much energy and was so vibrant with life and love, could go so easily and so young. Life does that to us sometimes.
My wife Georgia and I spent some very restless nights over the loss of the crocodile hunter. We talked about how it was affecting us and shared how and why his passing moved us so much. One of the conclusions we came to was that a man with such lust for life and deep compassion for all thing living. A guy that; with sincere bliss would gladly and lovingly kiss a crock, a snake a toad or any of Gods gorgeous (yet deemed ugly horrid or gross by the general public) creatures and see their true beauty. A guy like that could only have the same passion and love for his family.
I can only imagine how devastated his family is right now. I fight back my tears when I think of his children ages eight and two, who are not going to have that loving and passionate dad to raise them.
Perhaps also I am saddened by the thought that I will now never get to meet the guy who is more “nuts” about wildlife then I am. Or maybe there are just too few animal advocates and wildlife warriors like the charismatic crusader for conservation Steve Erwin for the loss of one, is the loss for many!
The Crocodile Hunter got people worked up, he was full force in your face education about wildlife that got people engaged. Whether you liked him or not he is a house hold name that you know, trust and know what he stands for. How many of those people can you name in the wild life education and conservation world?
The world needs more Steve Erwins.
He will be sorely missed by millions of people and billions of animals too.

I guess, in closing I must admit, I am also saddened for myself. I really wish I could have met Steve Erwin so perhaps some of his passion and energy could have rubbed off on me when I shook his hand. Now I will never get that opportunity. I now only hope I can be more like him some day!!

Thanks Steve!!

Terri, Bindi, Robert I am so, so sorry!!

God bless