Heavy/Getty DWTS champ Bindi Irwin's daughter knows all about her grandpa.
“Dancing with the Stars” champion Bindi Irwin and her family continue to honor her father’s legacy years after his death. Steve Irwin, known as “The Crocodile Hunter,” died in 2006, when the DWTS champ was just a little girl. He is gone, but definitely not forgotten, as Bindi’s mother made clear when sharing a story at a recent event.
Here’s what you need to know:
Bindi Irwin’s Daughter Called Her Uncle Robert ‘Grandpa Crocodile’
On May 12, People shared the story Bindi’s mother, Terri Irwin, shared at an event. The Irwin family was at the annual Wildlife Warriors Steve Irwin Gala on May 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada, when Terri told the attendees the adorable story.
Terri shared that sometimes, Bindi’s daughter Grace accidentally calls her uncle Robert “Grandpa Crocodile.”
The nickname “Grandpa Crocodile” is a name the Irwin family uses to reference Steve. As Terri noted, Steve and Robert, 20, look quite a bit alike.
According to Terri, Grace mistakes Robert for Steve now and then. Terri described it as “really special” that Grace has noticed the resemblance, too.
In May 2022, the “Dancing with the Stars” champion told People the family shows Grace videos of her grandfather frequently.
“We have so many documentaries of Dad, and we’re always playing them for Grace,” Bindi explained.
She continued, “It’s so fun to watch her study him. I didn’t realize how much Dad’s passion for life and his animated facial expressions — I mean, they captivate her.”
The DWTS Champion Knows Grace & Steve Would Have Been Close
During the same 2022 interview, Bindi noted she “definitely see parts of [Dad] in Grace.” The “Dancing with the Stars” champion noted her father’s “inability to sit still” and determination are traits Grace has definitely developed.
“I’m excited to see as she grows up how her personality will develop. If Dad was around, honestly, we would never see her. He would be so in love,” Bindi shared.
She joked that her father ultimately created “the most wonderful TV programming for our daughter.” Grace “Just stares at him in complete and utter fascination. She hangs on every word he says,” Bindi revealed.
Bindi added, “He’d just have her doing everything with him. We would only see her if she needed a feed and then be gone again.”
Terri, Robert, and Bindi still live on the property of the Australia Zoo, along with Bindi’s daughter and husband, Chandler Powell. The family is very tight-knit, with Terri and Robert developing deep bonds with Grace.
Fans Adored the Story About ‘Grandpa Crocodile’
Fans loved the story Terri shared.
“And then we all cried,” one Instagram user noted on People’s Instagram post.
Another commenter declared, “TOO PRECIOUS!”
“He looks very much like his dad. Steve is truly missed! He would have been the most caring and interesting grandpa,” someone else noted.
“I imagine if Steve Irwin was still alive, his grandkids would have called him ‘Grandpa Crocodile’ and he would have embraced the role exuberantly as he did everything else,” a separate comment read.
“He would’ve been the best grandpa ever,” wrote a different Irwin fan.