Robert Irwin celebrates milestone birthday with rare pic of Steve at 21
Robert Irwin has celebrated his 21st birthday with a heartfelt tribute to his late father and Aussie icon Steve.
Sharing a photo of his dad's 21st birthday in 1983, the wildlife warrior admitted how hard it was to celebrate the special day "when there's someone missing".
"Today I turn 21. I was looking through the archives a few days ago and I found these pictures of my dad on his 21st," he wrote alongside the photos of Steve on Instagram.
"It can be hard to celebrate the milestones when there’s someone missing, but I will carry his memory and passion with me in this new chapter of life. I am one lucky guy to be surrounded by my amazing family today."
Steve Irwin died in 2006 when Robert was just two years old.
His heartfelt post comes after he sat down with Stellar magazine ahead of his birthday, and admitted he had mixed feelings about the milestone celebration.
“It can be heartbreaking. I can’t beat around the bush. It’s really hard, particularly when it’s those milestones,” he said.
“It’s difficult navigating that without a father figure. But I have to really praise my entire family, and particularly my mum, on the way in which she’s stepped up, to make sure that – while there will always be part of myself missing and I’ll never be complete – I never felt like I missed out on anything.”
Robert added, “I hope that somewhere, somehow, he knows I’m trying to make him proud.”
Image credits: Instagram