NEED TO KNOW
- Robert Irwin says his dad Steve Irwin, who died when Robert was 2, is omnipresent in his life, like a superhero
- He says that he learns something new about his father all the time, and that he’s part of every conversation
- Irwin adds that as he gets older, he feels a closer connection to Steve, and understands his drive better
Robert Irwin can’t believe that it’s been 19 years since his dad, the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, died in an underwater accident at age 44, when Robert was just 2 years old.
“The passing of time is so wild, how almost two decades since my dad passed,” Robert, 21, tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. He says that as he gets older, he learns more and more about his dad, and feels closer to him than ever.
“He’s still part of every day,” Irwin says. “He’s part of every conversation. He’s part of my life. And I feel as though I get a little part of him back in some way, in every conversation I have about him, or any new story I hear about him, or in any new photo that I haven’t seen before.”
Robert says he also feels lucky that there’s so much video footage of his dad, thanks to his show The Crocodile Hunter, which ran from 1997-2004.
“I’ll often come across archive footage that I haven’t seen before,” Robert continues. “And all of a sudden, his memory just starts flooding back. So it’s weird that decades later, after losing someone when I was 2 years old, I almost have an even greater picture of the person he was.”
Irwin adds that with age, he also understands him even better.
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“As I start to reach the same sort of milestones that he did as a young bloke growing up, I, yeah, I feel closer to him in a way,” Robert says. “I really do. My dad is like a superhero figure. He’s like this omnipresent, just a superhero to me. And I’m so grateful for that, because while I didn’t have much time with my dad, I have a human being who exemplifies everything I want to be in life.”
Robert says, much like his father, he’s happiest in the outdoors, rescuing and rehabilitating animals.
“No desk job for me,” he says with a laugh. “I’d rather play with crocodiles all day. Or be surfing, skydiving, skateboarding, mountain biking, rock climbing . . . I think it’s the Irwin genetics. I was just born to be wild.”
“I think losing someone as important as him at such a young age solidified the idea that life is fragile,” he shares. “We don’t know what tomorrow holds, so you have to take calculated risks, you have to have fun, enjoy what you’re doing, and give everything 100 percent.”
He adds, “He is always in some way guiding me.”
He’s tackling his next adventure with his family by his side as he competes in the ballroom on Dancing with the Stars.
“I’ve never tried it, I don’t wear sequins, I’m not in this world at all. So it’s super new, and it’s terrifying, but it’s also awesome,” he shares. “It’s an adrenaline rush. I feel like I live for adrenaline. I’m not really living if I’m not on the edge just a little bit.”
He’s following in the footsteps of his sister, Bindi, who won the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy in 2015.
“I wanted to do this because I was inspired by my sister Bindi, who won Dancing with the Stars 10 years ago,” he says. “I remember coming to every live taping to watch her and thinking, ‘One day I have to do this.’”
He can’t say how long he’ll last, but he’s training hard with his partner Witney Carson. “I may not have the skills, but I’ve got the passion!”
Dancing with the Stars season 34 premieres Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and simulcast on Disney+. The show streams the next day on Hulu.
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