‘I wish Dad was here': Bindi Irwin opens up about missing Steve Irwin

She was just eight-years-old when her dad tragically passed away, and now Bindi Irwin has spoken out about the grief she still experiences over Steve Irwin’s death.

The Sunshine Coast native, who turns 21 this week, told Stellar Magazine that she never stops missing her father and wishes he were still here to witness firsthand milestones in her and her brother, Robert Irwin’s, lives.

“What gets to me are those moments when I’d love him to be here to share what we’re doing,” Bindi said.

“It could be when my brother is receiving an accolade for his photography, or it might be at the end of the day when we’re having dinner and laughing.

I’ll think: ‘I wish Dad was here for this.’ But he’s just not there.”

Steve, nicknamed ‘The Crocodile Hunter’, tragically passed away at 44-years-old in 2006, after being stung by a stingray while filming a documentary in Queensland.

Bindi regularly pays tribute to her late dad online and in February, she took to her Instagram account to post an adorable snap of her as a baby in the arms of her proud and beaming dad on what would have been his 57th birthday.

In true Steve Irwin fashion, he could also be seen holding a cuddly koala on his other shoulder.

“Thank you for always being my guiding light,” Bindi captioned the throwback snap.

Bindi, her mum, Terri, and brother Robert, have made sure his legacy lives on as they continue to share their love of wildlife with all of Australia and the whole world.

“We carry on as though he were still here and we treasure everything he stood for and carrying on with his important legacy,” Terri told Sunrise last year.

“I think it is true of anybody is great journey, you do have a choice, you can kind of curl up in the corner or do what you would have wanted you to be healthy and happy and carrying on with what you are passionate about,” she added.

“Conservation work really is and what we do, is really more who we are. I am proud to be carrying on where Steve left off and I do miss him every day. Today is a wonderful celebration and I am really enjoying it.”

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