http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20349888-2,00.html

Irwin was being given CPR at Low Isles, off Port Douglas, as the helicopter arrived less than one hour after the incident, but Dr O'Loughlin said nothing could be done to save him.

"It became clear fairly soon that he had non-survivable injuries," Dr O'Loughlin said.

"He had a penetrating injury to the left front of his chest.

"He had lost his pulse and wasn't breathing."

RIP Steve Irwin!

he will be missed.

Awwww, man. He's always been intensely entertaining for me, I'll miss him reaching into rattlesnake dens, baiting sharks, and chasing komodo dragons.

Here's to a man who truly knew how to live.

He died like he lived, so I don't expect he had any regrets.

TO be perfectly honest, everything he was doing was just asking for it someday...

Ya I was arguing with somebody about this last night when he broke the news - I was saying that stingray stings aren't generally fatal. They aren't - unless they actually puncture the heart! Geez.

I agree he went out the way he probably hoped, but it's a bummer that he leaves behind his children 3 and 8.

he said that he was put on this earth to protect nature, ect.

i tend to find it ironic that of all the things that could do him in it was a stingray. come on the man grabbed the worlds deadliest animals by the tail every other week..

actually i used to root for the animals to bite him just so i wouldnt have to hear him say things like
"ay, this is the worlds most deadly snake... when it hisses and moves like that it's telling you to get away, you should NEVER EVER approach one of these snakes... lets just see if i can get ahold of him so we can take a closer look...."

(i actually did watch a show where he said something to that effect)

I do feel sorry for his wife and children tho

I always figured the Mythbusters would bite the dust before good old Steve-o.

Let me be the first to say, "Crikey!"

And hopefully Rogue, you'll be the last

Crikey!

It is always refreshing to see hopes being shattered.

Crikey!

keep in mind that the man WAS living his dream. i guarantee, he has NO REGRETS.

he leaves a family behind, but he leaves them with a compound that was built to preserve the sancitity of the wild. he also leaves behind a legacy of the Irwin name. and who could forget southpark's rendition; ..."put me thumb up his ass"... lmao.

he has been known as the dumbest, bravest guy in the world. ever. for his ingeneous tactics on showing, nay, educating the world; he will be remembered forever.

Thank you, Crocodile Hunter... Thank you.

that dude was fortunate to even get to 44 years old.

he was entertaining. but reckless.

oh, and crikey. dude.

Also, all you folks saying "He died how he wanted to die"

STFU, cause I'm pretty sure everyone wants to die in their 90s of old age. What sicko wants to leave a wife and kids?

I only want to die when I'm too ill to enjoy myself - then I'll gladly take a sting to the heart. I see too many miserable people in their 90's.

Assuming he truley wanted to die stung by a stingray in his 40s, you don't think he'd at least want to have a chance to say bye to his family?

this went from being an ode to a great family man, and a great lover of the animal kingdom, to another trash-talk conversation. if you dont have anything good to say, please refrain from writing it here. have some respect for the lost.

He lived his life fully aware of the risks, but he considered it worth it, because he believed strongly in conservation. His wife knew the risks as well, and still married him, went with him on his expeditions, and gave him two children. Sad that he is gone? Sure. But you have to honor someone who lived his life like he believed it had to be lived, even if it was cut short.