The last minute decision led to his untimely death

Steve Irwin’s life-long friend and cameraman revealed what he said in his final moments before his tragic detah.

The conservationist and global TV icon died in 2006 after being stung by a stingray while filming for Ocean’s Deadliest in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

One of the people present for the tragedy was Justin Lyon, who was a long-term crew member and worked with Steve for most of his career.

And Lyon once revealed exactly what was going through the beloved conservationist’s mind just moments before he passed.

Justin said they had been out recording when they spotted a giant stingray swimming towards them, so they decided to film it.

He recalled that just several minutes after capturing the footage, the Crocodile Hunter star suggested that the pair took ‘one last shot’ of the deadly creature – a decision which would cost him his life.

He told the Australian morning program Studio 10: “I had the camera and thought this was going to be a great shot.

“But all of a sudden the stingray propped on its front and started stabbing Steve with its tail. There were hundreds of strikes within just a few seconds.”

Steve Irwin died in 2006 after being stung by a stingray. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The stingray struck and punctured Steve’s chest, which left him gasping for air.

Justin remembered Steve being pulled back into the boat following the frenzy of stings, where he did not shy away from what was happening to him.

Whilst he was struggling, Justin said he urged his friend to think of his family in the moment.

He recalled: “He just sort of calmly looked up at me and said, ‘I’m dying’. And that was the last thing he said. We hoped for a miracle.

“I did CPR on him for over an hour before the medics came, but then they pronounced him dead within 10 seconds of looking at him.”

Steve Irwin grew the Australia Zoo with his family. (Australia Zoo)

Steve, who was just 44, left behind him his adoring wife Terri, and two children Bindi and Robert, who were just eight and three at the time.

Now both young adults, Bindi and Robert have done their animal-loving dad proud, following in his footsteps at the family-run Australia Zoo.

Robert announced last month that a turtle species, discovered by his late dad, would be joining Australia Zoo.

In a post, he said: “It’s just so surreal and all the stories from Dad about how amazing and beautiful they are. Dad would be stoked with that.”