Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin gave a “very weird” farewell speech ahead of his tragic death, his best friend has revealed.
Steve was just 44 years old when he tragically died in September 2006, after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming a documentary – for which members of the crew even recall drawing up a will for.
The film was aptly named Ocean’s Deadliest, and filming took part in Queensland, Australia.
And just weeks before, Steve gave what has been termed a “finale” speech, which struck his friend John Stainton as “very weird”.
Appearing on the I’ve Got News For You podcast, John admitted: “A couple of days before we started the show, he made a little speech to all the crew that where up there catching crocs for his research trip.
(Image: Getty Images)
“Which I joined at the end with our crew to do the movie.
“And it was really weird. He was sort of thanking them all for being who they were and for helping him.”
John went on: “It was like a ‘finale’ speech. Very weird.”
(Image: bindisueirwin/Instagram)
John even revealed that he himself had gone as far as to make a will due to the sense of foreboding hanging over the filming, as he admitted: “I had this idea on arriving that something was wrong.
“But it’s just life, you never know what things are going to do to you.”
John even tried to have the show cancelled before filming began – but as “everyone had been paid”, Discovery Channel bosses were unable to call it off.
(Image: Reuters)
“I felt uncomfortable about it when we were sort of going into the production. In fact, three weeks before we were lined up to shoot I actually rang Discovery and said ‘Look at I don’t feel good about this thing’.
“I just had this premonition in January that would be the last day of my life this year. I just had this really weird feeling…
“So much so that I went and got tests and CAT scans. I thought, ‘I have to have something wrong with me’ [but] nothing came back.
“I even made a will that year in June before we went on the trip.”
Steve was survived by his two children, Bindi and Robert, and his wife Terri. But his legacy has lived on in more unusual ways, too – as the wildlife expert has had a ship and even an asteroid named in his honour.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
