Steve Irwin was a legendary “crocodile hunter” and Australian wildlife conservationist. He was known for his love of animals. Sadly, it was his love of animals that cost him his life. He was killed by a stingray while filming a documentary. His son, Robert, honored his father’s legacy as a contestant on Season 34 of Dancing With The Stars. He opened up more about his father’s death while encouraging a contestant on the dance competition.
Robert Irwin Was 2 When His Dad Died
Robert and Bindi Irwin both followed in their father’s footsteps. Steve Irwin’s children, along with his wife Terri, operate a zoo in Australia in his honor. It’s part of their quest to keep his legacy alive. Robert Irwin was just a toddler when his father died. He doesn’t have many memories of his dad. But he credits his mother with keeping Steve Irwin’s memory alive.
When Bindi Irwin competed on DWTS in 2015, she dedicated a dance to her late father. Ten years later, Robert Irwin joined the dance competition and dedicated a dance to their mother, Terri. Both Irwin kids won their respective seasons.
He Opens Up About His Father’s Death To Inspire DWTS Contestant
Robert Irwin talked about his dad a lot while competing on Dancing With The Stars. His late father inspired many of his dances, which helped him through the difficult training. But winning a Mirrorball Trophy wasn’t Robert Irwin’s last connection to DWTS.
He was named host of the summer spinoff Dancing With The Stars: The Next Pro. Twelve professional dancers compete for a spot on the upcoming season of the popular reality show. Season 35 premieres in September. Some of the celebrity contestants have already been revealed.
But Robert Irwin proved himself as more than just a host in a recent episode. He gave contestant Allen Genkin a pep talk when he was struggling with a dance dedicated to his late mother. “I understand what it’s like to lose someone,” Robert Irwin told the contestant.
He shared how he dedicated a dance to his own mother during Season 34. Robert Irwin candidly admitted to breaking down after the dance when Terri Irwin came on the dance floor to hug him. “It’s like you’re facing something for the first time in your life that you’ve never had the strength to face. But movement and dance, that is the thing that gives you the ability to face that,” he recounted to Allen Genkin.
Robert Irwin’s words of wisdom got through to the professional dancer. Allen Genkin and his partner, Adele Zaikman, impressed the judges with their routine set to Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s “See You Again.”
Losing his father at such a young age was difficult, but Robert Irwin has his family to help keep his dad’s memory alive. Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro airs on Mondays on ABC at 8 PM Eastern.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
