Steve Irwin was one of a very special kind of person. The gregarious Australian spent his life bettering the lives of animals all over the globe, while also teaching and amusing the rest of us in the process, and he was loved by practically everyone who saw his work.

Although his area of work was inherently dangerous, his untimely death at the age of 44 in 2006 was nevertheless shocking. His death at the hands of a stingray was a complete shock, considering that he often battled crocodiles, swam with sharks, and handled poisonous snakes.

After hearing of Irwin’s unexpected death, his many fans all over the globe flooded the internet with tributes. The fact that the animal hero died protecting his passion gave some comfort.

In fact, Irwin reportedly had a protocol in place so that the cameras would never stop recording, even if he found himself in dire danger.

Tommy Donovan, who writes Irwin’s biography on IMDb, reportedly told the Daily Mirror, “He instructs his camera team to constantly be recording. He knows how to ask for aid when he needs it.

The most important thing, even if he is devoured by a shark or crocodile, is that it be documented. If he passed away, he’d be disappointed that his life wasn’t recorded.