Bindi Irwin on missing her father: 'He was an incredible sounding board and incredibly wise'

She spoke about the moments when she most misses her late father.

July 22, 2019, 12:17 PM

Bindi Irwin is celebrating a major milestone on Wednesday: her 21st birthday.

To mark the occasion, the daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, spoke to Stellar Magazine about her passions in life, her father's legacy, and growing older.

She explained that grieving in an ongoing process, and that she still mourns her father, who died tragically in September 2006 from a stingray attack.

"Some days you feel the grief more than others," she said. "What gets to me are those moments when I’d love him to be here to share what we’re doing."

"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,'" she continued.

She also shared that she misses his advice, especially as she grows older.

“Sometimes I wish I could ask him a question: ‘How would you do this?’ or ‘What do you think about this?’” she said. “He was an incredible sounding board and incredibly wise. I miss that.”

On carrying on her father's legacy, Irwin told the publication, "I care about the planet and my destiny is to make a difference."

"We’re doing it our own way, but you can feel Dad’s spirit in everything we do," she continued. "I’ve found such comfort in being able to follow in his footsteps."

Along with her mother Terri and brother Robert, Irwin stars in Animal Planet's "Crikey! It's the Irwins," which documents their work caring for animals at the Australia Zoo.

"I’m living the dream! How many young people start their day watching a giraffe being born and end the day bottle-feeding a joey kangaroo?" Binidi told Stellar Magazine.

"I don’t know how I’d cope if I was living in suburbia with a goldfish," she added.