Steve Irwin was a devoted father to his two children, Bindi and Robert. He and his wife, Terri, spent a lot of time caring for wildlife and educating their children everything they could about conservation.

Before his daughter, Bindi, was born, Steve had some misgivings about becoming a father. Steve said in an interview with Australian Story in 2003 that he didn’t like the notion of becoming a dad, but after Bindi was born, his life changed significantly.

THE TRAGIC DEATH OF STEVE IRWIN

Steve spent much of his career filming documentaries about various species of wildlife, particularly those that were on the verge of extinction.

Steve and his close friend and cameraman, Justin Lyons, were both looking for tiger sharks during one such shot on Queensland’s Batt Reef in Australia. They encountered some rough weather while at sea.

Steve couldn’t tolerate being bored on the boat, so he and Justin boarded a small inflatable boat to search for wildlife in the big ocean.

They didn’t have to look long to uncover a massive eight-foot-wide stingray that would be ideal footage for another movie they were working on.

Steve’s situation, however, took a turn for the worst. “It suddenly raised itself up on its front and began striking madly with its tail, hundreds of strikes in a matter of seconds,” Justin explained.

Justin went on to say that the stingray most likely mistaken Steve for a predator and bit him. Justin recognized the tail strikes had gone directly into Steve’s chest when he turned to look at him.

Despite Justin’s speedy return to the boat, it was evident that Steve would not be able to make it to the hospital in time. Justin recalled, ‘He just sort of calmly gazed up at me and said, ‘I’m dying – and that was the last thing he said.’

Steve’s producer, John Stainton, had an uneasy feeling about the shoot they were going to embark on in the days following up to Steve’s death in 2006. John recalled a speech Steve gave just before filming for the documentary:

‘He was thanking them all for being who they were and for assisting him in some way.’ It was almost like a farewell speech.’

Whether Steve’s farewell statement to the staff was a foreshadowing of his death or not, his wife, Terri, recalled Steve’s belief that he wouldn’t live long. ‘He’d always had this feeling his life was going to be cut short,’ Terri added.

Terri also expressed her concerns about raising their two children on her alone. Robert, who was two years old at the time of Steve’s death, constantly asking where his daddy was. Bindi, who was only a few years Robert’s older, stood firm for Terri.

THE IMPACT OF STEVE’S DEATH ON THE FAMILY

Steve’s untimely death, Terri claimed, drew the family closer together. The years of grief they had laid the groundwork for strong familial relationships. However, Steve’s death caused a rift in the extended family.

In 1992, Steve’s father, Bob Snr., gifted Steve and Terri Beerwah Reptile Park, which is today known as Australia Zoo. However, as the company evolved, Bob remained active in it.

However, two years after Steve’s death, Bob Sr. abruptly quit the company due to a disagreement with Terri over how the company should be run.

Joy, Steve’s older sister, and her family used to work in the Australia Zoo on a daily basis. Frank, Joy’s husband, was fired from the zoo in 2015. Joy and her children also fled the zoo shortly after.

Bindi, Steve’s oldest daughter, said her grandfather’s connection with her grew strained over time as he opted to become reclusive. ‘Everyone deals with grief in their own unique way. When my father died, he chose to separate himself from everything he loved the most,’ she explained.

Bindi and Robert both came to a crossroads in their lives when they had to decide whether to follow Steve’s route or take a different one. Bindi and Robert both chose to dive headfirst into their father’s passion for wildlife conservation.

Tagging crocodiles as part of a project with the University of Queensland in Australia was one of the siblings’ conservation initiatives. ‘This research was initiated by Dad, and we still utilize the same methods of capture that he devised to this day,’ Robert posted on Instagram.

Robert’s admiration for nature, however, did not end there. He also became interested in wildlife photography:

I started taking images with a small point-and-shoot camera when I was approximately six years old. My passion for photography grew from there, and I now carry my camera gear with me wherever I go.

Their father would have been ecstatic about Robert and Bindi’s passion for wildlife protection. He tearfully remarked in a previous interview how proud he would be to one day step aside and let his children carry on his work at the Australia Zoo and in wildlife conservation.

ALL OF THE IRWIN KIDS HAVE GROWN UP.

Bindi worked as the CEO of the Australia Zoo with her mother, Terri, who was the zoo’s chairperson, while Robert got his hands dirty in animal conservation and photography.

Bindi had a romantic involvement with Chandler Powell as well. They met in Australia in 2013 while Chandler was competing in a national wakeboarding championship. He chose to go to the Australia Zoo, and Bindi was conducting the zoo tour on that particular day.

Chandler was taken with Bindi right away. Chandler decided to be a chivalrous gentleman and wrote Bindi’s mother a letter asking whether he may communicate with her. Her heart was captivated by this old-fashioned gesture.

Chandler demonstrated his love to Bindi by giving up his wakeboarding career to work with the Irwin family at the Australia Zoo. Chandler proposed to Bindi on her birthday, July 24, 2019, and she accepted!

WEDDING OF BINDI AND CHANDLER

Although the pair had planned to invite 200 guests to their wedding, the coronavirus crisis forced them to cancel their plans, and they instead chose to marry among the animals at the Australia Zoo, with only Terri, Robert, and Steve’s best friend, Wes Mannion, in attendance.

Bindi had her wedding gown made to look like the one her mother wore when she married Steve in 1992: ‘When I was approximately 12 years old, I put on my mother’s bridal gown, and it was a very unforgettable experience… Because it’s been in the family for so long, it’s over 50 years old.’

Bindi and Chandler honored Steve’s legacy by including a portrait of him during the ceremony, in addition to honoring her mother through her wedding gown.

In his honor, they even lit a candle. ‘…it seemed as if he was right there with us. It was a great moment of happiness and calm ‘Bindi remarked.

Chandler and Bindi’s baby girl, Grace Warrior Irwin Powell, was born on their first wedding anniversary, as fate would have it.

‘Celebrating my two greatest loves. Happy one wedding anniversary to my loving hubby, as well as our lovely daughter’s first birthday! ‘Bindi used to Instagram to express herself.

THE Entirety OF STEVE’S MEMORY

Despite the fact that Steve died many years ago, his daughter Bindi recalled him with sadness. She remembered seeing an old video of Steve protesting the crocodile egg collecting. Despite the fact that she had seen the film numerous times, she began to cry.

She also stated that losing her father was like losing a piece of her heart, which she cannot forget: ‘People would approach me and say things like, ‘I’m sorry for your loss, love.’

All wounds heal with time. But that isn’t the case. It’s as if you’ve lost a piece of your heart, and you’ll never get it back.’

Both Robert and Bindi hold their father in high regard. ‘I’m able to remember the memorable occasions with dad thanks to a lifetime documented on camera and recollections from my family and others who knew him best,’ Robert added.

Steve was described as a hero by Robert and Bindi. They both felt fortunate to be able to carry on the work he started, and they hope that their children will be able to do the same.