Robert Irwin has broken down in tears at Australia Zoo after receiving a 19th birthday message from his late dad Steve. We're not crying, you are!

The beloved crocodile hunter tragically died in 2006 after being pierced in the heart by a stingray barb while filming a documentary called Ocean's Deadliest in Queensland's Great Barrier Reef, per Discovery.

He had reportedly been snorkeling during a break in filming, hoping to get some footage for his daughter Bindi's show Bindi the Jungle Girl. He was just 44.

Sadly, both Bindi and Robert have had to grow up in the public eye without their father - meaning he has missed out on major milestones including the birth of Bindi's first child, Grace Warrior, with US wakeboarding champion Chandler Powell.

Though, the late wildlife warrior made a heartwarming appearance via video for his son Robert's 19th birthday, which he celebrated at Australia Zoo on December 1. The video was a sweet compilation from various famous Aussie faces - including kids group The Wiggles (complete with Captain Feathersword), Indigenous-Australian singer Christine Anu, dancer and musician Lukas Wildrok, and stunt performers Nitro Circus, among numerous others.

The most tear-jerking clip, however, was a throwback video of Steve at Australia Zoo talking about a then-newborn baby Robert, who is being held by mom Terri.

"Hey, how's this," he says in the clip, "I'm at the hospital, and Terri's pushing and pushing, and it's hard. And anyway bang, pop him out, and I've lifted him up and he's a little bloke. And I put him on Terri's chest and we're just stoked. And at that moment, at that very moment, I saw the light."

"The whole time, you're here, you know I'm catching crocs, I'm saving wildlife, I'm doing this and I'm doing that - but when Bindi was born I had the same sensation. Now, with little Bob, same sensation. It's like, this is why I was put here, because I could be dead tomorrow. So I need these blokes to come up here as quick as they can, so, this little bloke's gonna have to catch the crocs with Bindi," he continues.

"When they're ready to run up our mission I will gladly step aside. Then, and only then, will I know that I have achieved my ultimate goal and my job will be done. And I guarantee you it will be the proudest moment of my life," the video concludes.

Robert and Terri both clap, as the audience at the zoo gives a round of applause. Robert then adds that it's such a "privilege" to continue the family's "legacy" in wildlife protection.

Both Robert and Bindi have continued to work with their mother at Australia Zoo, where he took over the activities that Steve originally did, including wrestling crocodiles and handling snakes.

Featured image credit: Erik Pendzich / Alamy

Bindi Irwin has shared an emotional message to her late father Steve on his birthday.

Steve, who was nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", tragically lost his life in 2006 when a stingray stabbed him through the heart on the Great Barrier Reef. Since then, his widow Terri and two children, Bindi and Robert, have worked tirelessly to preserve his legacy.

Bindi previously posted this emotional footage of her having fun with her dad as a baby: 

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Last month, Steve's name hit the headlines when an image of him welcoming the animals that lost their lives in the Australian bushfires to Heaven went viral.

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Paying tribute to her late father, Bindi wrote: "Dad, Today is your birthday. I had an extra-strong cup of tea just how you liked it. I hugged Mum for you and told her how much we love her.

"Robert and I went on a hike through the mountains you cherished. I watched one of your documentaries with Chandler and shared stories about you.

"I walked through your office in the zoo and smiled at our old family photographs. Today and every day I miss you and love you beyond description. You're always with me."

Steve's widow Terri also took to social media to remember her late husband on what would have been his 58th birthday. She wrote on Twitter that she was "determined to celebrate what he loved the most".

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She said: "Today would've been Steve's 58th birthday. While my heart aches missing him every day, I'm determined to celebrate what he loved the most.

"He was happiest spending time @AustraliaZoo w/ @BindiIrwin & @RobertIrwin. He was my best friend, best dad, & built the best Zoo. I love you."

Steve's parents founded Australia Zoo, which he later ran with his family, and they continue to preserve his legacy there to this day.

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The Irwins worked tirelessly to save lives during the bushfires, which claimed the lives of over a billion animals, per ABC, and Bindi took to Instagram to reveal that that zoo helped over 90,000 animals during the crisis.

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There's no doubt that Steve would be incredibly proud of his family.

Australia's wildlife warrior siblings have paid homage to the original Crocodile Hunter - their father Steve Irwin - on Father's Day

Sunday, September 4, marked 16 years since the world lost the beloved conservationist and TV personality.

Taking to Instagram, Bindi and Robert Irwin posted throwback images of their famous father, with his 18-year-old son captioning the post: "It's Father's Day today in Australia, and I am sending my love to those who are missing their dad today. I cherish all the good times with my dad and feel grateful to be able to keep his memory and legacy alive."

The post showed a baby Robert reaching for a bunch of flowers that his late father is holding.

Steve's oldest child, Bindi, also posted some cute images of her and her father. She captioned the image: "Grandpa Crocodile, I know you would've been the most incredible grandfather because you were such an extraordinary dad. Thank you for being an amazing guardian angel for Grace."

The 24-year-old - who married US wakeboarding athlete, Chandler Powell, in 2020 - gave birth to a daughter named Grace Warrior Irwin Powell in 2021.

Fans of Irwin also paid tribute, commenting heartfelt messages beneath Robert's and Bindi's posts.

"Sending you such a warm hug, kiddo. You have such a good heart and head on your shoulders. Keep chasing every dream and passion with gusto! I know you hear this all the time, but kid, your dad has got the proudest grin on his face as he watches over you and watches you grow. No matter what you do, whatever avenue you take in life, he'd be so proud of you, dear heart," someone lovingly commented underneath Robert's post.

Another user commented: "He was a wonderful man. And he brought conservation and the animal world to us as never before. So wonderful to see the son he would be more than proud of carrying on his legacy. Life throws curve balls to us all sometimes. But you darling one have caught the ball and running with it. Xx."

Similarly, sweet tributes came pouring in for Irwin on Bindi's Instagram, with someone writing: "Life is so unfair [crying emoji] if anyone deserves to be here with his kids and first grandchild it's Steve Irwin. He would have just treasured every moment with each of you."

"He gave this world such a gift by sharing his life with us. I'm sure Grace will think of him as a superhero as she grows and she'll be right. He was extraordinary and so are you," another comment read.

Steve Irwin was tragically killed after being pierced in the heart by a stingray barb in Queensland, Australia, on September 4, 2006.

His legacy as a wildlife expert and dedicated conservationist has been tirelessly continued by his widow, Terri Irwin, and children.

He rose to fame with his The Crocodile Hunter TV series, swiftly capturing the hearts of the Australian public with his typical Aussie larrikinism mixed with his genuine love and admiration for wildlife. He is regarded fondly as Australia's undisputed hero - in short, Steve Irwin is Australia personified.

Featured image credit: Abaca Press / Alamy

Steve Irwin's children are paying tribute to their dad on what would have been his 60th birthday.

The Australian animal lover and beloved wildlife presenter tragically passed away over 15 years ago. But his legacy lives on in his kids Bindi and Robert, who have both taken to Instagram to share sweet photos from their childhood with him.

Bindi posted a snap of herself with dad Steve, who is crouched down low and holding a snake.

"Happy Birthday to the greatest dad and Wildlife Warrior," she wrote in the caption, before saying that she planned to celebrate her dad's birthday by watching his beloved show The Crocodile Hunter with her own daughter, Grace Warrior.

Meanwhile, her younger brother Robert also paid tribute to his dad, who died when he was just two years old. In his post, Robert shared a snap of a particularly special memory of himself and his dad riding a motorcycle.

"Happy birthday Dad. I love you and I miss you more every single day," his caption read.

"My earliest memories are my fondest, thanks to you. Hanging on tight to the handlebars of the motorbike, when you’d take Bindi and I on your morning lap of the zoo - before going to get ice cream for breakfast. Every minute spent with you was a blessing," he added.

Irwin was just 44 when he died in 2006. The wildlife expert and TV presenter was filming on Batt Reef when he came across a 220lb bull stingray that measured over 2.4 meters wide.

The Mirror reports that cameraman Justin Lyons explained the usually placid creature was expected to swim away. But instead, it became suddenly aggressive and stabbed Irwin with "hundreds of strikes in a few seconds."

Lyons didn't realize what had happened until he saw that the presenter was covered in blood. He immediately pulled him out of the water into the boat and rushed to get him to emergency medical treatment. But it started to look like it might be too late.

"He was having trouble breathing. Even if we'd been able to get him into an emergency ward at that moment we probably wouldn't have been able to save him, because the damage to his heart was massive," Lyons recalled.

He went on to describe Irwin's tragic last words. "He just calmly looked up at me and said, 'I'm dying.' And that was the last thing he said."

Irwin was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, leaving behind his two kids, his wife Terri, and millions of mourning fans all over the world.

Happy birthday, Steve. Thank you for all the amazing memories!

Featured Image Credit: PA Images / Alamy

Bindi Irwin, the daughter of the late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, has taken to social media to share a heartfelt tribute to her father on her 22nd birthday.

It has been nearly 14 years since the death of Steve Irwin - a loss that was mourned not just in his native Australia, but all over the world.

Irwin had been captivating television audiences for years with his passion and love of nature, and his dedication to helping protect species led to him becoming one of the most beloved celebrities around the globe.

Now, to mark her 22nd birthday, Steve's eldest child Bindi has taken to Instagram to share a heartfelt video tribute to her father, in which he calls her birth the "most incredible wildlife encounter of his life".

You can watch the video below (go grab the tissues first):

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Bindi shared the touching video with her 3.5 million followers, and accompanied the clip with the following caption:

"Birthday Love.

"22 years ago my parents decided to start a family. I will forever be grateful for their unconditional love and encouragement to follow my dreams. I chose the two most compassionate, dedicated and loving people in the world to be my mum and dad. There are no words to describe the amount of love in my heart for them both."

In the video - which is an interview with Steve cut with family home video - he explains that he was in "total utopia" was Bindi was born.

He then says: "I am the proudest father on the face of the Earth. No doubt."

Watching Irwin talk about his daughter just proves how much he loved and adored her - and it certainly brought a tear to my eye.

(And I guess hearing Steve talk about baby Bindi the same way he does a venomous snake also cements just how much he loved nature!)

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Earlier this month, Bindi revealed how she cried "happy tears" after a fan painted a wonderful picture from her wedding day that included her late father standing at her side.

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The conservationist captioned the gorgeous post:

"My family. Our wedding day. This artwork gave me happy tears. Thank you to ‘The Monkey Brush’ for creating such a beautiful piece, it means the world to me."

The beautiful artwork was created by artist Debb Oliver, who runs the illustration studio The Monkey Brush.

Amazingly, the heartwarming family picture was not commissioned by Bindi or the Irwin family, and instead was created by Oliver out of her love her the family.

And can you blame her? The Irwins really are an incredible family who the world treasures dearly.

Bindi Irwin marked the 15th anniversary of her dad Steve Irwin's death with a special tribute to her baby daughter Grace Warrior.

The 23-year-old honored her late father in a touching post on Instagram, featuring an adorable smiling shot of her 5-month-old daughter.

"This sweetheart has been watching her 'Grandpa Crocodile' on the projector at our camp here on the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve. She lights up when she sees him on screen," she wrote alongside the image.

"I wish with all my heart that dad could hug my beautiful girl."

She added: "It's been 15 years since he passed away. I hold on to the thought that he's her guardian angel now, watching over the most special part of my life, Grace Warrior."

Steve - who was also known as the Crocodile Hunter - passed away on September 4, 2006, after his heart was pierced by the barb of a stingray while filming at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

The world was left shocked and saddened by his death. He was 44.

Before she welcomed her bundle of joy with husband Chandler Powell on their 1-year wedding anniversary, Bindi told ET that her dad would have been a good grandfather.

"He would've been a good, good grandpa. Yeah, he really would've been," she said in February.

"I don't think we would've ever seen our daughter. He would've just whisked her away into the zoo and it would've been perfect."

"It is so nice that we'll be able to introduce her to her grandfather through all of the documentaries. It's really special," she added.

What's more, Bindi told The Bump that her daughter's nickname, Baby Wildlife Warrior, was a tribute to her late father.

"My dad was the first person to create the term 'Wildlife Warrior.' Being a Wildlife Warrior means to stand up and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves," she explained.

Featured image credit: AA Film Archive / Alamy