On September 4, 2006, the world lost a great man. Steve Irwin was an Australian wildlife expert who stole hearts across the globe as The Crocodile Hunter. On his hit documentary TV series, he became an international sensation.
His death came as a huge shock. He was only 44, and after his years of hunting crocodiles, many thought he was invincible. While filming a documentary called Ocean's Deadliest, however, Steve was fatally stung by a stingray.
The world grieved his death, but no one took it harder than his family. At the time, Steve's little adventure girl, Bindi, was only 8. Though she was devastated by her father's death, Bindi was incredibly strong according to her mother.
Just as this anniversary came up, Steve's parents released a long-lost letter their son had written him in the early '90s. As today marks the 10-year anniversary of his death, Bindi shared a post on her Instagram account honoring her hero.
Though Bindi was young when her father passed away, she was very put-together while reading his eulogy in front of a crowd of 5,000 people — and a worldwide audience.
On the anniversary of his death, Bindi shared this photo with the caption:
"You'll be my hero for my entire existence. I love you more than words can describe."
After his death, Bindi honored her father's legacy by continuing his wildlife dreams.
She had her own show, Bindi the Jungle Girl, where she and her father tried to teach the importance of conservation. Steve appeared in episodes in the first season, as they'd been filmed before his death.
Since her jungle days, Bindi has grown up quite a bit. She's become a girl any dad would be proud of, but Steve Irwin in particular would be amazed by her.
Along with mother Terri, she lives at the Australia Zoo and educates people on the importance of wildlife and preserving their homes.
In 2015, Bindi rose in popularity as a competitor on the 21st season of Dancing With The Stars.
Over the course of 11 weeks, she wowed the judges and audiences with her amazing talents and went on to win the entire competition!
One of the pivotal moments on the show came when she dedicated a performance to her father, in which she broken down in tears while talking about him.
Don't forget to SHARE Bindi's touching memory of her father with all of your friends and family!
