November 15th is recognized as Steve Irwin day, a day to remember the wildlife legend who inspired us all. Here are some photos of me with crocs & gators from many years ago to just last week, largely inspired by Steve.
When I was a kid growing up I loved all animals and especially reptiles. I grew up in a household below the poverty line, I didn’t have any cool toys or many friends so I spent all my time in the forest and the animals were my friends. I grew up without a cell phone and had barely functioning dial up internet only later into high school. I didn’t know anyone else who loved reptiles like I did, literally no one I knew of. I wasn’t connecting with other animal enthusiasts online and there wasn’t Facebook or Instagram to find people on. Thankfully I had loving family that supported my love for wildlife, but no one that was like me. I was completely alone in my passion, and I really thought I was the only one who loved snakes and gators like I did. Other kids wanted to go to the movies, go to the mall, all I EVER wanted to do was go looking for wildlife. When my parents divorced and my dad would pick me up for the weekend he would ask if I wanted to go to the arcade or ride go carts, I’d say no and every single weekend I would have a new state park or preserve to visit instead. When we intermittently were able to afford cable and I saw Steve Irwin for the first time- I felt like I had just met my long lost uncle or something, someone else who shared that same love and passion for reptiles and all wildlife!! Steve was immensely influential on me, not only did I learn a lot from his programs, but he really made me feel like I wasn’t alone and I wasn’t such a freak for loving animals like I did(as many in school had told me I was).
Sadly Steve passed in a complete freak accident, the specifics of which has literally never happened to anyone else. It was crushing. I sadly never got to meet him.
I am immensely thankful for Steve, everything he did for wildlife and everything he unknowingly did for me.
Fast forward to now and I have my own animal sanctuary and my own crocs and gators!!! It’s absolutely incredible, sometimes it doesn’t even feel real.
Every day people in my comments say I’ll end up like Steve, as if that’s some sort of insult. If someone accomplished half of what Steve did in a full lifetime it would be quite an accomplishment. Saying I’ll end up like Steve is a compliment, I can only hope to do what he’s done. He was cut down in his prime and still accomplished more in those relatively short years than any hater will in their entire pathetic lifetime. He was a hero and a legend, and we can all only hope to have the environmental impact he did.
I hope Steve can see what he inspired, see how much myself and so many others have accomplished through his inspiration, and I hope he’s proud.
