Steve Irwin’s emotional final message for crew revealed

Exclusive: Steve Irwin’s haunting final message to his crew can be revealed for the first time.

The Crocodile Hunter, who was killed by a stingray 20 years ago today, was on his final croc research mission near Weipa in Queensland’s Cape Yorke Peninsula when he addressed his team.

Producer John Stainton, who turned Irwin into a household name around the world, was among the crew.

“I just want to say something from the heart,” Irwin said to the team.

“Sorry for getting all emotional on you, but I tell you what, this has been the best month of my life.

“I was able to give you a much bigger and better education this year because, by crikey, I felt good, I felt good teaching and giving this year rather than trying to do everything myself.

“By crikey, there’s not a team on earth that I’d sooner be with, you people and my family together, we are great.

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“With this camera here, we’re going to show the world exactly what we do and how proud we are doing it.

“By jingo, it brings me to tears, you guys to jump on that croc and feel the honour and the respect that goes with it.”

Stainton said Irwin “meant every bit” of what he said in the parting gesture of appreciation to his team.

“It’s very sad, it’s the last time he really addressed anybody at all like this,” Stainton said.

What made the moment truly remarkable was Irwin’s attention to thanking each member of the team individually.

“I’m a behind-the-scenes person and normally would never be seen or heard,” Stainton said.

“That was quite amazing, very amazing, it’s uncanny, it makes me feel wow.”

While his death broke a nation’s heart, few could fully understand the devastation it caused for wife Terri, eight-year-old daughter Bindi and two-year-old son Robert.

“The best thing to happen in Steve’s life was having kids,” Stainton said.

“It changed his life because he was a big kid.“

While he has missed watching Bindi and Robert’s own careers take off, Stainton is certain how Irwin would feel about it.

“Oh, Steve would be so proud of them,” Stainton said.

“How Robert has gone on, he would be so proud of him.

“He’s very, very pro animal conservation, which is terrific, which is what Steve wanted.

“As long as he is there, Steve is alive.“

Watch the full story in the video player above.