Bindi Irwin Reflects on Her Father, “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin

Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Bindi Irwin, the daughter of “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, has been sharing some of the fond memories she has of her late father.  The Australian wildlife expert died after being stung by a stingray in 2006 when Bindi was just eight years old.

Bindi reveals to People.com that her dad’s tragic passing still haunts her. She explains, “I remember after we lost dad, so many adults came up to me and said, ‘Honey, time heals all wounds.’  That is the biggest lie you will ever hear. It doesn’t. That kind of sadness never goes away. It’s like losing a piece of your heart that you never get back.”

The 16-year-old says sometimes she and her brother Robert visit the handprints their father left in concrete outside the family’s home at the Australia Zoo.  Bindi explains, “We’ll put our hands in them, just to see how they’ve grown and how they match up to dad’s.”

She also has all of the letters her father wrote as he traveled the world in search of animals.  Bindi says, “Reading those letters back is special. I’m grateful he wrote them. Those little things remind you of him and give you strength to keep going.”

Bindi has been keeping her father’s memory alive by continuing his work. She is working with SeaWorld as a youth ambassador.

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