"Your legacy lives on”: Outpouring of love from Bindi Irwin
Bindi Irwin has shared an emotional tribute to her late father, Aussie icon Steve Irwin, celebrating what would have been his 61st birthday.
Bindi expressed her gratitude to her dad for sharing his love of animals with her and younger brother Robert.
“Happy Birthday, Dad,” she captioned an image on instagram, posting a photo of herself as a little girl with Steve, who is holding a small reptile.
“Thank you for instilling a love for all species, courage to follow my heart and determination to make a difference in the world for wildlife and wild places.
“Your legacy lives on and the world is forever changed because of your dedication to conservation.
“Mum, Robert and I love and miss you so much.”
People flooded the comments with kind words and appreciation for the Crocodile Hunter.
Actress Emma Perry commented, “What a blessing he gave to this world and what an honour to continue that legacy, happy birthday to your amazing Dad!
“Happy birthday to your daddy. He was a true inspiration to all of us,” another user wrote.
“A hugely missed man, a tragedy he was taken so young, but it’s so inspiring to see his message and work carried on through his family,” a fan added.
Terri Irwin took to social media to pay tribute to her late husband as well, leaving a simple message on Twitter, “Happy birthday, Steve,”
“You did good.”
Terri also shared an old picture of herself and Steve with a young Bindi and baby Robert, alongside a recent photo of the family all grown-up, showing Robert, Bindi and her husband Chandler and their daughter Grace.
Robert Irwin, also paid tribute to his dad, sharing an image of Steve holding him as a baby with little Bindi watching on paired with the caption “Happy Birthday Dad”.
“So much love,” Bindi commented on her brother’s post.
“I will never forget the day Robert was born and Steve proudly held him up to the camera,” one fan reminisced.
“He was so proud of his wife, Robert and Bindi ... He would have been even more so today.”
“Happy birthday to the man who made me fall in love with reptiles! We love and miss you so much!” wrote another.
Steve Irwin was born on February 22, 1962, and passed away on September 4, 2006, at age 44, after a stingray barb pierced him in the chest while he was filming on the Great Barrier Reef.
Image credit: Instagram