On the afternoon of September 4, 2006, under the sparkling blue waters of the Great Barrier Reef,

Steve Irwin was in his element.

With a camera crew nearby, he snorkeled in search of marine life for a new documentary.

The world-famous crocodile hunter had spent a lifetime getting up close and personal with deadly creatures,

stalking lions in African savannas, wrangling giant pythons in Asian jungles,

and leaping onto the backs of massive saltwater crocodiles in the Australian outback.

Afea just wasn't in his vocabulary.

That day, however, something went horribly wrong.

As Steve floated above a large stingray in shallow water, the normally docile creature

suddenly lashed out. In a split second, it drove its venomous barb into Steve's chest.

The jagged stinger pierced his heart,

inflicting a catastrophic injury. With a rush of bubbles and blood in the water, one of the

most vibrant, enthusiastic lives on the planet was mortally wounded. Steve managed to pull the barb out,

but within minutes he lost consciousness.

His crew frantically hauled him onto their boat and desperately performed CPR for over an hour,

racing back towards ashore, but it was all in vain.

By the time medical help arrived, 44-year-old Steve Irwin was gone.

His final words uttered calmly to his friend as they pressed on his heart were heartbreakingly simple. I'm dying. And just like that,

the larger-than-life Australian, who had wrestled crocodiles and charmed the world was suddenly, shockingly gone.

Well, this is sort of this sort of news that you don't want to believe is true.

It has been found dead at her flat in North London, just 27 years old,

and well-documented problems of drink and drugs.

...