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Terri Irwin has shared a candid reflection on being a single mother to Bindi and Robert following the death of her husband Steve Irwin in 2006.
In a Mother’s Day post on Monday, Irwin called motherhood the “best part of my life,” writing that it had given her “purpose”.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Robert Irwin talks about dad Steve Irwin’s legacy.
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The 59-year-old shared a series of photos with her two children, Bindi and Robert, who are now 25 and 20 years old.
“Being a mum is the best part of my life,” she said on Instagram.
“When Steve passed, it was not a burden being a single mum, it was actually my children that gave me purpose, courage, and happiness every day.”
“Bindi and Robert are the reason I can stand strong, meet every challenge, and embrace every adventure.
“As a mother, I am truly blessed.”
Steve Irwin died aged 44, when a stingray’s barb pierced his chest as he was filming an underwater documentary on The Great Barrier Reef on September 4, 2006.
Bindi responded to the post: “I love these beautiful photos and memories. Thank you for ALWAYS being there for me and Robert. And now for Grace. It means more than I can possibly describe. I love you.”
“Love you mum!” Robert wrote.
The sentiments echo Terri’s reflections in an interview the year after her husband’s death.
“I know that without my children in my life I would be feeling the loss so much more, but because Steve and I had Bindi and Robert I come home and I get grabs of joy,” she told The Sun in 2007.
“Being a mother is my greatest gift, my ultimate joy, and it’s really what helps me get through.”
“I don’t go away anywhere overnight without them. That can be challenging at times but Steve and I were both like that,” she continued.
“And now there’s just me, I don’t want them to miss that connection with a parent.”
At the time, she reflected on the way nine-year-old Bindi, who was very close to her dad, was dealing with the loss.
“I think it’s really starting to sink in with Bindi that Steve isn’t coming home,” Terri said.
That is really starting to hit her. It’s sinking in more and more each day. That he’s not around is evident in even the smallest things at home.
“I also know that one of the things that Bindi misses most about her dad is his hugs — she’s just missing that love and affection and attention.”
She remarked that “the father-daughter thing is so intense”.
The family has been true to Steve’s legacy following his death, continuing his work in animal conservation and at Queensland’s Australia Zoo.
Over the weekend they celebrated the annual Steve Irwin Gala, this year held in Las Vegas, at which Prince William delivered a pre-recorded message for the family, praising their conservation efforts and those of the late Steve Irwin.
The event was held in a khaki-decked ballroom and honours Steve’s legacy while raising funds and awareness for his conservation work.