Before his Sept. 23 performance of Junior Senior’s “Move Your Feet” on Dancing with the Stars, Robert Irwin shared why he feels “closer” to his father, Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, 19 years after his death.
Robert, a 21-year-old wildlife conservationist, admitted that he wasn’t born when the song was released in 2002, but it holds a special place in his heart because it came out when “dad’s show was at an all-time high.” Robert is, of course, referring to The Crocodile Hunter, which ran from 1997 to 2004 and spawned a movie, The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course (2002). Steve tragically died on Sept. 4, 2006, after sustaining a stingray injury to his heart. The fatality, which occurred while the host was filming Ocean’s Deadliest, is believed to be the only deadly stingray attack caught on video.
On last night’s episode of Dancing with the Stars, Robert shared how his father’s work continues to impact him and his family. “There isn’t a day goes by where someone isn’t sharing how dad inspired them,” he said. “It means everything to me, because every year I live, I actually feel closer to my dad.”
He Says His Dad Would Be Proud
Robert previously told Access Hollywood that he thinks Steve would be “stoked” that he’s participating in the dance competition. “He was the sort of person [who] just never held back,” Robert said. “He was passionate, enthusiastic about every single thing he did. And he loved life when he was just living on the edge and giving it 100. And that is what this experience is. I have the honor of continuing his legacy and my family’s legacy, and I never thought I’d get to do that by dancing, but here we are, and I’m just so grateful for that.”
