Bindi Irwin is remembering her late father, Steve Irwin, on the 15th anniversary of his death. The 23-year-old conservationist shared a photo of her daughter, Grace Warrior, and expressed how she wishes “with all her heart” that her dad “could hug my beautiful girl.” She also posted a throwback photo of herself as a little girl with Steve.
“This sweetheart has been watching her ‘Grandpa Crocodile’ on the projector at our camp here on the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve. She lights up when she sees him on screen,” Bindi wrote. “I wish with all my heart that Dad could hug my beautiful girl. It’s been 15 years since he passed away. I hold on to the thought that he’s her guardian angel now, watching over the most special part of my life, Grace Warrior. ❤️”
Steve, known as The Crocodile Hunter, died Sept. 4, 2006, after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming a documentary. He was 44.
His wife, Terri Irwin, also honored her late husband sharing a photo of him holding a mini croc.
“Today is a special day to remember Steve’s mission and message. He was determined to inspire us to be Wildlife Warriors, protecting wildlife & wild places,” she tweeted. “We can honour his legacy by remembering that every animal is precious…even the ones with big teeth!
“It’s hard knowing that she’ll never get to actually meet him and it’s devastating because I’ll never get to watch their connection. But, I can not wait to be able to tell beautiful Grace all of these stories about dad, to be able to share with her what an amazing father he was,” she expressed, with husband Chandler Powell by her side. “It’s going to be…it’s going to be really special…It’s going to be really special for her to know him through us, to tell her about what an amazing man he was.”
“It is really hard. It’s hard that he’s not here because out of everyone in the world, gosh, he would have loved her the most,” Bindi continued. “He would have loved her so much. But I think in a way he is still with us. And his heart and soul lives on in all of us and, so yeah, he’s never really gone.”
Robert Irwin on Sister Bindi as a Mom and How He Continues His Late Dad Steve’s Legacy (Exclusive)
Before welcoming the latest Irwin-Powell member, ET spoke with Bindi, Terri and Robert Irwin earlier this year, where the family opened up about how their late patriarch would feel about becoming a grandpa.
“He would’ve been a good, good grandpa. Yeah, he really would’ve been,” the new mom said. “I don’t think we would’ve ever seen our daughter. He would’ve just whisked her away into the zoo and it would’ve been perfect. But it is so nice that we’ll be able to introduce her to her grandfather through all of the documentaries. It’s really special.”
Terri added, “He’d be over the moon. I will say one thing for sure is you would never have to wonder what he would’ve worn during any of the milestones. He would’ve worn khaki to the wedding, khaki to everything.”
