Dear David, thank you!

Dear David,

This is not just a fan letter, but also a thank you letter.

What can I say, like millions of other people out there, your words and programs have shaped me. From the very first program I saw as a child, I was hooked. They’ve opened my eyes and taught me how to see. They’ve instilled so much wonder in me, for common place things shown under a new light and other not so common spectacles and phenomena, that I’ll never see. They’ve expanded my horizons a thousandfold.

You and the team (one must never forget the team) have shared experiences some of us can only ever dream of and very few of us will get to see in real life. But we have been able to join in from the comfort of our armchairs. We’ve journeyed with you around the world, like a special guest. Each one of us believing you were talking directly to us, like a favourite uncle sending letters home.

You’ve inspired and done it with humility and without the hype and over exaggerated showmanship that’s so prevalent in animal programs now days. You’ve taught and not made it feel like we were receiving a lesson. You’ve taught us history, without it being boring. You’ve given us geography lessons without us even knowing it, biology was a breeze and we’ve seen first-hand lessons in animal behaviour, plus a whole lot more.

You’ve informed, inspired, shared, educated and you’ve done it all with such infectious enthusiasm and with that sparkle in your eye. You and your shows have been a force of good in a world filled with far too little of that.

Besides all these lessons you’ve taught us, the current generation, we hope these lessons will go on to teach the next generation, and the one after that and the one after that. Hopefully we wake up in time to ensure that there is a world for these future generations.

I dearly hope that the next generations can emulate a few of your character traits. May there be thinkers and doers, adventurers and educators, explorers, story tellers, favourite uncles, outliers. Here’s hoping they have humility and kindness and that their eyes sparkle when they speak with enthusiasm on a subject they love.

David, there will never be enough works to adequately show our appreciated for everything you’ve brought to us and for always using your voice for good. These two pure and simple ones will have to do – Thank you.