"Also, yes, its terrible whenever someone dies of anything less then old age."
Take my word for it, getting old is pretty terrible too.
A professional who does a dangerous job is aware of the risk--and also keenly aware that the odds can eventually catch up to him.
At any rate, life doesn't come with a gaurantee. You might get mangled by a drunk driver next week. I've come within about a millimeter of being dead, and others on this BBS have come closer than that. Make sure you tell your wife you love her when you leave in the morning, and try to live each day as best you can. I'd say Steve Irwin lived his life pretty dang well.
J_A_B