Steve Irwin, also known as “The Crocodile Hunter,” made a lasting impression on the world in 2006 while mourning his passing.

Nearly 12 years have passed since the terrible event, which shocked everyone given how young he was at the time.

In an interview, Terri Irwin talked candidly about the passing of Steve Irwin. Terri recently made this touching remark during an interview for the Australian television program “Anh’s Brush With Fame.”

The 53-year-old widow appeared on the show to promote her activism as an anti-culling activist, but the topic of her late husband swiftly shifted to him. She told his followers that her eccentric husband Steve wouldn’t have been shocked in the slightest.

“He never anticipated living a long life. He had a persistent feeling that his life would end too soon.

Sadly, Steve was correct when, during the filming of “Ocean’s Deadliest” in Queensland, Australia, a stingray approached him and punctured his chest with its barb. Terri received a notification to contact her zoo manager after the event. Remembering the instant she learned Terri states,

“All I can recall is this tremendous sense of duty and this intense pain, but what should I do now? I sort of gathered my thoughts before having to inform Bindi and Robert outside the car, which was incredibly difficult.

Tears filled Terri’s eyes as she remembered the last time she had seen her husband, who had stayed behind to finish filming the documentary, before she and the kids took a plane to Tasmania.

“I recall him waving good-bye at the airstrip. The last time we saw him was then.

“It’s challenging every day, and grief transforms from a rock in your heart to a companion after 11 years,” she remarked. “It’s always there, and I never really know when it’s going to hit me,” she added.

Terri has disclosed that she is still processing Steve Irwin’s passing.

She continued, saying that she still feels fortunate to be living her “happily ever after” with the nature fighter even though she misses Steve “constantly.”

Steve, 44, was killed on September 4, 2006, when a stingray bit him in the heart while he was filming on the Great Barrier Reef close to Port Douglas.

Terri acknowledges that when word of Steve’s death spread, he would have been astounded by the outpouring of support. “Steve would have been the most taken aback by the outpouring of love and grief.”

Regretfully, he departed from his spouse and two young offspring, who remain ardent nature enthusiasts in the same way as their father. Terri claims that despite Steve’s years of celebrity, she has always appreciated the fact that he never let it get to his head, saying,

The word “famous” never occurred to Steve. I adored that about him; he was never conceited or self-important, and we did donate all of our profits to wildlife preservation, something I’m incredibly proud of.

It’s probably safe to assume that’s part of the reason why everyone adored him and couldn’t stop talking about him. Fortunately, his devoted wife and kids are carrying on his amazing legacy.