CRIKEY, how time flies!
It’s been almost 14 years since the world lost one of the most fearless wildlife warriors ever to feed a croc with his bare hands – a guy who got up close and personal with some of the planet’s most perilous creatures and had a blast doing it.
But Steve Irwin’s passion for the wild didn’t die the day he was killed aged 44 by a stingray while filming a documentary in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in September 2006.
It lives on in his wife and children – and the love and devotion of his kids were evident again recently when they posted poignant messages to herald what would’ve been his 58th birthday.
“I had an extra-strong cup of tea just how you liked it,” wrote daughter Bindi (21) alongside a throwback snap of the two of them laughing as a porcupine eats out of Steve’s hand.
“I hugged Mum for you and told her how much we love her. Robert and I went on a hike through the mountains you cherished. I walked through your office in the zoo and smiled at our old family photographs.
“Today and every day I miss you and love you beyond description. You’re always with me.”
Steve’s mini-me son, Robert (16), shared a childhood photo of the family, all lounging on a rock. “Family Always”, he captioned it.
As one fan put it, Steve’s “beautiful legacy” is living on in his family, who can all be seen in the reality TV show Crikey! It’s the Irwins, which airs on Real Time (DStv channel 155).
Now into its second season, the series shows them caring for animals at Australia Zoo, the sanctuary started by Steve’s father, Bob, in the late ’70s.
BOTH kids have stepped firmly into their dad’s boots and are ardent environmentalists.
This story is from the 19 March 2020 edition of YOU South Africa.
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This story is from the 19 March 2020 edition of YOU South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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