Steve Irwin and Bindi: A father and daughter forged from love, split by tragedy
Steve Irwin's love for animals was known worldwide and this got him the name of 'crocodile hunter'. While Steve was enthusiastic about taking care of animals and making sure that they are safe and sound, another thing that he always stressed upon was ensuring that his family is happy. Steve's love for animals was shared by his family and his wife, Terri Irwin was always the one standing beside him.
While he thought that there could be no other woman who he would love more than Terri in this world, he was proved wrong when he first laid eyes on his daughter, Bindi Sue Irwin. Bindi is Steve and Terri's first child and the two were extremely tensed about how they would be as parents.
However, when Steve first held Bindi in his arms, he knew right then that he was sent on Earth for her. The father-daughter duo have been photographed together on several other occasions and these images are proof of the love and close bond that the two shared. Just like Steve, even Bindi showed interest in wildlife and following the footsteps of her father, she started rescuing animals and spending more time with them.
There is no doubt that Steve was a proud father. The happiness on his face watching his daughter make a difference in the world was evident and hard to ignore. Bindi was named by Steve based on his two favorite animals, Bindi, a saltwater crocodile and Sui, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Later, Terri and Steve welcomed another child, their son Robert Clarence, whom they named after Steve's father. While there is no doubt that Steve loved his children unconditionally and equally, the bond that he shared with his daughter was unlike any other. One of the reasons for this could be that Bindi was older than Robert and was growing accustomed to Steve's relationship with the wildlife.
With Steve's help, Bindi even managed to have her show named ' Bindi the Jungle Girl' and this was the moment that she made her dad proud. Unfortunately, their father-daughter moments had to be cut short due to Steve's untimely death.
Steve died on September 4, 2006. Steve was filming in Australia and decided to go deep into the waters in a bid to get some footage for Bindi's television show, believe friends. Unfortunately, it was there that he met with an accident. While filming for the show 'Ocean’s Deadliest', Steve and his crew were just off the coast of Batt Reef in Queensland. Steve snorkeled into the shallows, capturing the rear view of a short tail stingray. It raised its barbed tail and struck Steve.
The stingray barb reportedly pierced his heart which led him to bleed to death. It is believed that the attack happened as a defense mechanism. Even though many people tried to save the 'crocodile hunter' it proved to be futile. While the day ended with Bindi losing her idol and father, till this date, she remembers and honors him.
Even on the day of her wedding with Chandler Powell, Bindi did not forget to remember her father. In fact, days before it the 21-year-old bride shared an old photo of her and her dad on social media and wrote: “Thank you for being my guiding light. You’re always with me."