‘Crocodile Hunter’s’ pal recalls final moments

LOS ANGELES - Terri Irwin is just one of the millions of people around the world still mourning the loss of her husband, “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin.

Next month, Animal Planet will air a special night of programming honoring Steve, including the show he was filming when he died.

Steve’s friend, Philippe Cousteau, was there for his final moments and gave Access Hollywood’s Tim Vincent the first interview since that fateful day.

“You were there at the time, can you tell us a little bit about what happened that day,” Tim asked Philippe.

“Steve was in the water snorkeling, actually free diving. I was on the boat at the time preparing for the afternoon’s shoot. We were looking to dive with some sharks,” Cousteau said.

The boat was Irwin’s Croc 1. During the day, Steve was upbeat as usual — a stark contrast to the events that were about to unfold.

“We got the call over the radio that there’s been an emergency saying, ‘Mayday. Steve’s been hit. Steve’s been hit’ and we immediately called the paramedics in Cairns and Port Douglas to get the helicopters out,” Philippe explained. “He was swimming near a stingray and it whipped around and the tail… it was one of those insane accidents. The barb found itself into his heart.”

Cousteau said everyone around rushed to Steve’s aid — but it was too late.

“He made it to the surface. We brought him back to the rear of the boat and proceeded to do everything we could to save him,” Philippe added. “We thought there had been a gash wound in the side. We didn’t know how critical it was until the paramedics got there and pronounced him dead.”

The grandson of famed ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, the tragic circumstances surrounding Steve’s death were all too familiar to Philippe, whose father Philippe Sr. was killed in a plane crash while on an expedition in 1979 — just months before Philippe was born.

“It’s kind of eerie how similar the circumstances were and I know that his is just the beginning of the grieving period that they will go through,” Philippe said of Irwin’s family.

Though Steve is gone, his wife Terri is determined to carry on his message.

“Terri and I are conservationists through and through, that’s what makes us tick. That’s why we’re put on this Earth — to promote conservation, mate,” Steve said during a June 2002 interview.

And it is that commitment to conservation that may serve as Steve’s greatest legacy to his wife and children, Bindi and Bob.

“My sister and I always looked at it as a positive responsibility that we were inspired by my father’s legacy,” Philippe said. “I’m sure that they will be too. No matter what they do, they will carry that with them for the rest of their lives.”

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