Off topic: Steve Irwin "Crocodile hunter" is dead

[MarioG]

He was filming in the great barrier reef. He was swimming over a giant stingray when the stingray nailed him in the chest and put a hole in heart. I thought he was very cool to watch. He was 44 years old. He leaves a wife and two kids.

I'm very sad.


Read it here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060904/ap_en_tv/obit_irwin

[Gunsmoke]

I used to watch him all the time. Sometimes, I thought he was nuts, but he was a very likeable guy. I feel terrible for his family, and I'm sure his wife knew the risks. The only consolation, if there is any, is that Irwin was doing what he loved.

[Bob Bradley]

That's a real shame. He was quite and entertainer. Fairly ironic that after a career of playing with poisonous snakes and crocs, he was done in by a stingray. I imagine that Royal Carrib, and others that make a living off of Stingray City in the Caymans are groaning right now.

[Passages]

Reports say the rays toxic barb punctured his heart. I don't think he suffered much.

A real shame. My kids grew up watching his antics on the Discovery channel, they were quite upset today.

[egaito]

Reports say the rays toxic barb punctured his heart. I don't think he suffered much.

A real shame. My kids grew up watching his antics on the Discovery channel, they were quite upset today.

It doesn't sound like it took long, but the cameraman said he pulled the barb out himself before he died. That had to hurt.....

[Jaxfishgyd]

In today's Miami Herald......


Stingray leaps from water, strikes Broward boater in chestBY KATHLEEN McGRORY
kmcgrory@MiamiHerald.com
An 81-year-old man suffered serious injuries this afternoon when a stingray leaped into his small, recreational boat and stung him in the chest, Lighthouse Point fire officials said.

The man, identified as James M. Bertakis, was enjoying the sunny afternoon with two family members when the fish emerged from the water. It slid across the bow of the boat and struck Bertakis, leaving a foot-long barb lodged in his chest, authorities said.

The ray, a spotted eagle ray, was at least three feet wide, according to acting Chief David Donzella, a Lighthouse Point fire spokesman.

''This certainly doesn't happen very often,'' Donzella said. ``It's very odd that the thing jumped out of the water and stung him on the boat.''

When fire rescue officials arrived, the barb was still in Bertakis's chest. He was conscious and breathing, but in extreme pain from the toxins, Donzella said.

Paramedics took him to North Broward Medical Center with a closed chest wound and a collapsed lung.

''He's in pretty bad shape right now,'' Donzella said.

Hospital officials could not comment on his condition.

Lighthouse Point fire officials recovered the fish and were keeping it in a garbage bag at the station house, Donzella said.

Experts say rays are generally docile animals.

But last month, a stingray off Australia's north coast stung Steve Irwin, the TV personality and conservationist known as the ''Crocodile Hunter.'' Irwin, 44, died when the stingray's barb punctured his heart. It was one of a handful of stingray fatalities ever recorded.

[Freebird]

I heard about that and frankly never knew stingrays were capable of inflicting a mortal wound on a human being. Makes me wonder how safe it is at Stingray City in GC.

Of all the dangerous critters that boy poked at, seems wierd that he was done in by something I had always considered harmless despite the menacing appearance. Sort of the same effect as would have been the case if Dale Earnhardt had been killed in a school zone traffic accident with a schoolbus.

Oh well, life is unpredictable huh?

[Freebird]

In today's Miami Herald......


Stingray leaps from water, strikes Broward boater in chestBY KATHLEEN McGRORY
kmcgrory@MiamiHerald.com
An 81-year-old man suffered serious injuries this afternoon when a stingray leaped into his small, recreational boat and stung him in the chest, Lighthouse Point fire officials said.

Wow, that is bizarre! You posted this while I was responding to the previous post about Steve Irwin. Two stingray related attacks within that short a period? And the poor old guy was not even in the water? He's made it to age 81 and goes out like that? Damn.

Maybe I'll reconsider relocating to the east coast after all. Hey Paul, you seeing this?

[Paul45c]

Maybe I'll reconsider relocating to the east coast after all. Hey Paul, you seeing this?

Living up to your nickname again, SB? This old guy's misfortune is about as unlikely as what happened to Irwin, but no, every ray I've ever seen was as docile as a lamb. I've dove with them countless times, and even on a beach (where most the injuries occur - people inadvertently stepping on them), you can easily avoid getting stung if you know how to walk.

[CARL GUZMAN]

CHICKENBIRD you got me all confused slow down read the post and then reply you got me thinking theres three attacks now?? one at atime there bubba