Bindi Irwin Posts Tribute To Late Father Steve Irwin On His 55th Birthday

Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Steve Irwin, paid tribute to her dad in an Instagram post on Wednesday in memory of what would’ve been his 55th birthday. The picture shows her father doing what he loved most — being around animals. Bindi wrote in the caption: “Always in our hearts.”

Steve Irwin, wildlife expert famously known as the “Crocodile Hunter,” died at the age of 44 in 2006 from a stingray barb that pierced his heart.

Indeed, both 18-year-old Bindi and her 13-year-old brother, Robert, have lived their lives with their father in their hearts. They have followed in their father’s footsteps, both working at the Australia Zoo, which their mother Terri currently runs. Steve had transformed what was previously a reptile park into the Australia Zoo, which is now a major tourist attraction.

In 2014, Bindi won the Young Conservationist of the Year award from the Australian Geographic Society. She also starred on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, taking home the mirror ball trophy in 2015 for her performance in a dance sequence in her father’s memory.

Robert similarly channeled his father’s spirit and love for animals, appearing recently on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon with a number of his animal friends from the Australia Zoo. His companions included an African dwarf crocodile, an armadillo and a red-tailed boa.

Robert also made an Instagram post documenting his appearance on Fallon’s show, dedicating it to his father. The post is split into two pictures, one of himself on Fallon, and one of his father on the late night show when it was hosted by Jay Leno. The two pictures bear striking resemblances, and both the father and son’s love for animals are unmistakable.