Bindi Irwin Still Heartbroken: What She’s Doing To Move On
Bindi Irwin is still heartbroken over the death of her famous crocodile hunting dad, Steve Irwin. Nearly 10 years have passed since Bindi’s father was fatally pierced by a stingray while filming the underwater documentary, Ocean’s Deadliest. The now 17-year-old daughter of the late “Crocodile Hunter” says time does not heal all wounds, but she’s moving on through her grief.
In a recent interview with Sunday Style, the maturing Australian actress and wildlife enthusiast talked about the loss of her father when she was only eight. Even as a young child, Bindi suddenly became aware of her own mortality.
Said Irwin, “It makes you want to live each day as if it’s your last.”
Bindi often appeared alongside her father in his television shows on Animal Planet. In 2007, Bindi Irwin became the presenter of her own nature documentary on Discovery Kids. The development of Bindi the Jungle Girl was announced by Steve on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in January, 2006.
While Bindi’s own wildlife series only lasted two seasons, her passion for protecting wild animals has continued at the Australia Zoo in Queensland, Australia, where Bindi Irwin grew up. The Australia Zoo was opened by Bindi’s grandparents in 1970. Irwin says she is gearing up to take on more of the zoo’s management responsibilities.
“I’m getting ready to buckle down, work full-time and help out with the management of Australia Zoo. As I’ve been getting older, I’ve been getting more and more involved in the workings of the zoo. There’s a lot to do.”
Bindi is 100 percent committed to wildlife conservation and the charity organization created by Steve Irwin, called Wildlife Warriors. She continues the conservationist work he started. But Irwin admits that she’s never really moved on from his passing.
Said Bindi, “It’s like losing a part of your heart. And when you’ve lost that, you never get it back. Part of you will always be missing.”
A BabyCenter blog post recently shared her family’s strategy for coping with the loss of Steve. According to Bindi, her mother, Terri, her brother, Bob, and herself make sure to talk about their favorite part of each day. She went on to explain that it started out as a game but has turned into a life lesson about finding happiness in every day. Even something as simple as a warm shower or having dinner together makes getting out of bed each morning a bit easier.
Bindi has also recently added another man to her life that shares her father’s same passion for wildlife. As explained by the Inquisitr, Irwin has a long-distance relationship going with Chandler Powell, who she met in 2013. The 18-year-old U.S. professional wakeboarder is working with Bindi on her Wildlife Warriors team. Powell will never replace Steve, but Bindi feels lucky to have him in her life.
“He is passionate about wildlife. We are excited to be achieving more conservation work together,” said Bindi Irwin.
[Image: Matt Roberts / Getty Images]
