Steve and Terri Irwin: Soul Mates

Generally, the list of most-fascinating people excludes those who have died, but this year an exception was made for the "Crocodile Hunter," through his remarkable and fascinating widow, Terri Irwin.

When Terri visited Australia in 1991, fate stepped in. She described the moment when she first saw Steve Irwin in a reptile park, catching a crocodile, as "amazing."

"I fell then and there & love at first sight. I thought then, 'Oh, this guy, this is the one for me. He's amazing.'"

It was instant animal attraction, and within the year, they were married. For their honeymoon, naturally, they went on a crocodile expedition, inviting a camera crew along. That honeymoon became the first episode of Animal Planet's "The Crocodile Hunter." Work, life and love intertwined seamlessly. They had two children: Bindi, now 8, and Bob, now 3, and included them in the show. Steve's family's zoo grew to be a major conservation center, and a second home for the children. On screen and off, Steve seemed invincible.

Barbara Walters asked Irwin if she ever worried about her husband's dangerous work.

"Neither of us ever worried about the wildlife," Terri Irwin said. "I worried about any time we were apart. We felt, if we were together, we would be OK."

This September, Terri and Steve weren't together. She was traveling with the children and he was filming off the Great Barrier Reef, when a sting ray's barb pierced his heart. Steve Irwin was killed at the age of 44. Shocked fans watched his memorial service, which was broadcast around the world.

Terri Irwin told Walters that she had lost her prince.

"You know what I'll miss the most --and it's very selfish -- he was fun. Steve was fun. He taught me that it's OK to play & in the rain," she said, choking up. "And splash in my puddle. And let the kids & get dirty. He didn't sweat the little stuff. He saw the big picture. And he had fun! Now I'm going to work really hard at having fun again."




Thankfully we we not see the bad parts only the good ones of Steve enjoying to the fullest of what he loved doing. I am still in "Awe" of this man that could do what he was so good at and share it with the rest of us, he is still missed here.
Full story: tvsquad.com
The last half-hour of the special will be a tribute to Steve Irwin's life and legacy, featuring interviews with his wife and daughter, and others who knew him. It will also include some of his most exhilirating moments on film and some never-before-seen footage.

The tribute to Steve Irwin airs January 21 at 8 pm on both Animal Planet and Discovery.