Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter, was a hero to many, including his family. After his passing in 2006, when he was stung by a stingray, people around the world mourned Irwin.
In the years since, his family has kept his memory alive by paying tribute in their day-to-day actions; the whole family follows in his footsteps, including his granddaughter, baby Grace Warrior.
But people who followed Steve's life and adventures tend to wonder just what happened to the crocodile wrangling star. Though some details have been revealed about his passing, a close friend of Steve's unequivocally stated that no one will ever see the footage of his last few moments.
Steve Irwin's Tragic Accident Was Caught On Camera
According to Justin Lyons, Steve's accomplice on all his daring adventures, Steve's passing was inadvertently caught on camera. That's because the TV star and wildlife expert wanted the camera to continue rolling, even if he was injured. Sadly, this time, there would be no recovery.
Lyons did reveal that his best friend's final words were "I'm dying," but he doesn't reveal much else about the incident, apart from how it happened. Fans already know that Steve was accidentally injured while filming a stingray, which seemed to have mistaken him for a predator.
Justin explained that the stingray began "stabbing wildly" when Steve swam up behind the creature, and that Steve was hit in his chest; the "damage to his heart was massive."
What Happened To The Footage Of Steve Irwin's Accident?
In his interview with Studio 10, Justin Lyons stated that he hoped the footage of Steve's encounter with the eight-foot stingray would never air. No doubt the footage would be disturbing not just to those close to Steve, but to anyone; the scene involved underwater shots of Steve's injury, including blood everywhere.
Lyons elaborated that the venom caused Steve "agony," and that it was suspected that in addition to heart damage, Steve's lung may have been punctured. Nevertheless, Justin administered CPR for at least an hour until the crew was able to get Steve to paramedics.
In the years since the incident, and the subsequent interview, no one has been able to recover the footage. In fact, Mirror UK claims that "millions of people" continue to search for the footage online. Yet no one has been able to find it, and that's just the way Steve's family and friends want it.
The TV Network Declined To Release The Original Footage
Mirror UK quoted a producer and director from Discovery Communications as saying he would never let the footage be aired; that it was "too disturbing" to be shown on television. Apparently, the footage was presented to the coroner who investigated Steve's passing.
Irwin's widow also suggested that there's footage of Steve's passing stored in a police vault somewhere, that the tape is on file but is only collecting dust to this day.
Terri Irwin also confirmed that someone created a fake video of Steve's death to garner views on YouTube. She maintains that it was completely fabricated, and seemed disgusted at the exploitation of "people's sadness."
Was Steve Irwin's Family Present When He Passed Away?
Steve Irwin's kids weren't on site when he was injured and subsequently passed away, and Terri Irwin is glad for it. She's been quoted as saying that normally, her two kids would have been on the boat. However, she expressed relief that Robert and Bindi didn't see their father suffer and pass away; it would have been "horrendous."
The children, who were two and eight at the time, followed precisely in their father's footsteps, growing up and working at their father's zoo, where he was also buried. Robert and Bindi have always drawn fascination from fans who watched them on TV or saw them at the Australia Zoo, but growing up in the spotlight doesn't seem to have affected them much.
The siblings continue to work with their mom at the zoo, doing what their famous dad did: teaching people to love (and not fear) animals. The Irwin family continues to support wildlife with their Wildlife Warriors organization, and in addition to sharing Steve's enthusiasm for nature, they've also inherited his ease with the film cameras and the general public.
Heartwarmingly, it's exactly the legacy Steve would have wanted to leave behind.
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