Steve Irwin’s family mark 20 years since shock death of ‘Crocodile Hunter’
Steve Irwin, aka The Crocodile Hunter, died in 2006 after an encounter with a stingray (Myung Jung Kim/PA)
Steve Irwin’s children, Bindi and Robert, and his widow Terri, have paid tribute to the “superhero” conservationist 20 years after his sudden death.
The Australian zookeeper and TV presenter, nicknamed the Crocodile Hunter, fronted a number of wildlife shows which caught the imagination of audiences in his homeland and across the globe until his death in 2006 after an encounter with a stingray.
Robert and Bindi Irwin have continued his legacy working in wildlife conservation, appearing on television shows as well as managing their family-run Australia Zoo in Queensland alongside their mother, zoo owner Terri.
Bindi, who was eight years old when her father died, shared a video of Irwin as he recounted “the most incredible wildlife encounter of my life” – the birth of his daughter.
She said: “Twenty years ago, today, the world lost the most passionate and dedicated wildlife conservationist. Our family lost our superhero. My mum lost the love of her life; my brother and I lost the greatest dad.
“Grief never truly leaves us; we walk alongside it every day. Where there is enormous grief, there is even greater love.
“I always thought that my dad’s legacy is wildlife conservation; it turns out, his legacy is love. For our planet and for each other.”
Bindi said her five-year-old daughter watches her grandfather’s documentaries every morning and feels “utterly loved by her ‘grandpa crocodile’, despite never meeting him.
She added: “My dad left a lasting impact so poignant that it will ripple out for generations to come. I believe with my whole heart that his love will live on forever.
“Dad, I love you with my whole heart. Thank you for being our guardian angel. And most of all, thank you for watching over my daughter now, too. She loves you so much. We all do.”
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Bindi is married to American former professional wakeboarder Chandler Powell, with whom she shares a daughter, Grace.
Meanwhile, Robert shared a photograph of him and his father with the caption: “Your legacy is forever.”
Terri, who is also a conservationist and owns Australia Zoo, remembered her final few weeks with Steve adding that “grief still walks with me like my shadow”.
She said in a post on Instagram: “With the passing of time I have gained more perspective and understanding. We were together as a family, on our crocodile research expedition, for what was to be our final six weeks together.
“Ours was to be a long and sweet goodbye. Steve spent time with Bindi and Robert building swings and climbing trees. We all slowed down. Time slowed down. I believe that all of us, every one of us, gets to say goodbye.
“We just may not know that we’re saying it. Hold every moment dear with the ones you love. Until we meet again.”
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