Robert Irwin, a fan favorite on Dancing With The Stars this year, danced in honor of his mother Terri and his father Steve Irwin’s passing.
From ripping his shirt off during a salsa to performing an emotional tribute to his mother during Dedication Night, Robert Irwin is the run away success of Dancing With The Stars. His popularity is so strong, UK audiences are starting to tune in to the celeb dance show, despite having Strictly Come Dancing to watch as well.
Before traveling to the US for the show, the Australian wildlife conservationist may not have been well-known. So Robert Irwin, who is he, and why did he choose his mother, Terri, over his well-known father, to perform his tear-jerking contemporary dance?
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Robert Irwin, who is he?
Robert is a zookeeper and the presenter of Australia’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here. He is also the son of Terri and Steve Irwin. Fans have said that Robert is just like his father, and the 21-year-old is involved in many of the same activities Steve was involved in when he worked at a zoo, such as wrestling crocodiles.
However, he was already establishing himself as a name before he began to work with animals. When he was just five years old, Robert co-wrote the children’s book Dinosaur Hunter and starred in the 2009 film Free Willy: Escape From Pirate’s Cove. However, he soon realized that non-fiction was more appropriate and that he began hosting wildlife children’s programs starting in 2014.
Robert is a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation and has used his love of photography to fuel his passion for wildlife conservation.
Who is his well-known father?
Robert is the son of Steve Irwin, who was also a famous zookeeper in Australia. Steve achieved international fame in the 1990s when he was in a wildlife documentary series called The Crocodile Hunter. He went on to develop an independent charity, Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, as part of his efforts to protect endangered animals and the loss of habitats.
His reputation in Australia was so high that Queensland’s state of Queensland changed due to images of him and Robert. Robert was born a month later, his father carried him in one arm and fed a chicken carcass to a saltwater crocodile with one arm. The incident sparked concern for Australian children’s safety, which led the Queensland government to change its crocodile-handling regulations to require children to go through a “strict long-term training program” before entering a crocodile enclosure.
Unfortunately, Steve passed away in 2006 after being pierced in the chest by a short-tail stingray barb while filming a documentary called Ocean’s Deadliest. At the time, Robert was only two years old.
What was Robert’s mother’s reason for dedicating a dance?
Dedication Night was held on October 14th, 2018, which is a weeklong event that is themed on the American dance show. Each dance honors a person who has passed on to the celeb contestant.
Robert chose his mother Terri over his father, despite what many people had anticipated. Robert and partner Witney Carson danced an emotional routine while performing the song “You’ll Be In My Heart” by Phil Collins. However, Whitney was ultimately replaced by Terri.
Robert explained that he wanted to pay tribute to his mother because he wanted her to know how proud my father would be of her. The audience was weeping at the performance.
He continued, “I have never been able to capture the gratitude I feel for her.” When I only wish, when I only wish that my dad was there, she was there, and that was enough.
I have a lot of trouble losing my father. She made sure my dad was present for us every day. My dad would be so proud of her, I hoped.
Is Robert the only Irwin to perform DWTS?
No, his sister Bindi won the 2015 competition. She said the show “changed my life” when she danced with Derek Hough, who is now a judge.
On their final dance, which was dedicated to Steve, the pair received a flawless score. I appreciate everything you have done. I’m so shocked I’m here. After being declared the winner, Bindi thanked you for changing my life.
Bindi said, “I’ve tried to just remember his strength, knowing that Dad is kind of still with me,” in a video intro to the dance, which was performed by Leona Lewis.
The final family photo taken before her father’s passing was shared by her on Instagram. Robert is seen holding a baby crocodile in the image. The final family photo ever captured in our lifetime read: “. Without a doubt, this would be my last chance, I had to wave goodbye to my hero the day before. But Dad, I always know that you stand up for me when you do, and that I have your strength. I cherish you.
