Steve and Me

I'm reading Terri Irwin's book 'Steve and Me', seeing as how he was and still is my hero and role model. I have cried at least 4 times and I'm barely half way through. He died in 2006, but it is still so hard on me. That man taught me so much. I was 8 when I first saw him on TV. I even wrote about it at school. I just found the book.

"I would go to Australia because I sow a show on snakes in Australia and it was cool and you can see this guy named Steve and he has a wild bird in his backyard:"

I'm 20 now. I guess thats when my dream of one day going to Australia was born. 12 years ago. I remember watching him all the time, being sad that when we moved the new house didn't have Animal Planet, getting so excited a year or two later when we got it again.

He's taught me so much, and help my love of animals and wanting to help them grow more and more everyday, which is saying a lot because I already loved them so much. My siblings used to call me "Elmyra".. you know the girl from Tiny Toons? lol yeah that was me, minus the squeezing them to death thing.

Getting the text message from my friend early the morning 2 days before my Senior year of high school saying 'The crocodile hunter died."...i thought it was a joke at first. I rushed down to the computer to check, and when every major news site confirmed the worst, I cried. I cried and cried. I woke my mom up and told her. She held me as I cried more. She was devastated for me. She knew how much I wanted to go to Australia.. to go to his zoo and see him.

For a long time after he passed, I couldn't watch his show without crying when I heard his voice. Heard him explain an animal, or say how much he loved his crocs. It was awful. I went to a college and tried to major in wildlife conservation and management to honor his memory. Turns out the way that school did it wasn't what i wanted to do. Now I'm on my way to being a vet tech. It may not be wild animals like I'd dreamed, but it's still animals. And I'm still helping them. And now he is forever honored on my skin.

I've been made fun of all my life for liking him, so it's no surprise the eyebrow raises and odd looks I've gotten when people hear about the tattoo. But I could care less. He was an important part of my life.

Steve, where ever you are, I WILL make it to Australia someday. I WILL go to your Zoo and admire the creatures you loved so much and taught me so much about. I will find a place to sit, and I will close my eyes and think of you, and most likely cry. But know that it's tears of both happiness and sadness. I'll be sad that you aren't there, but I'll be happy to be near you in a different way. You'll be there, watching me.

Rest in peace, mate. I miss you.