SYDNEY:

The widow of Australian crocodile hunter Steve Irwin said on September 27 she hoped footage of her husband being killed by a stingray would never be seen.

Terri Irwin also told Australia’s Channel Nine in her first interview since his death three weeks ago that the wildlife adventurer always believed he would die young.

While acknowledging that Irwin always told his crews to “keep rolling” during his hair-raising exploits, Terri said there was nothing to be gained from showing the death footage.

“Obviously my wish was that it would never see the light of day. I think that would be the most respectful thing, I can’t see any purpose for bringing that out.”

She said Irwin always had a strong premonition he would die young, although he never believed an animal would kill him, as he seemed to share an “X-factor” with nature’s creatures.

“He never thought it would be an animal,” she said. “I thought he would fall out of a tree — he figured it would be a car accident. We used to laugh about it.” — AFP

A road named after him :

SYDNEY: Steve Irwin will be immortalised in tarmac when the road outside his family zoo is renamed in his honour, officials revealed on September 27.

The premier of northeastern Queensland state Peter Beattie announced the road that runs past Irwin’s Australia Zoo in Beerwah will be called Steve Irwin Way by the end of the year. “Steve Irwin and his family have put Beerwah on the map and I can think of no more fitting tribute,” Beattie said. — AFP