Bindi Irwin Still Feels the Grief Over Dad Steve Irwin’s Passing: ‘I Started Crying’

It has been 13 years since the tragic death of crocodile hunter Steve Irwin — and now that she’s approaching her 21st birthday, his daughter, Bindi Irwin, is revealing some of the moments she wishes her dad was around for.

“Some days you feel the grief more than others. What gets to me are those moments when I’d love him to be here to share what we’re doing,” the conservationist said in an interview with Stellar magazine. “It could be when my brother [Robert] 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.'”

Bindi was only eight when her dad passed, but while she is now a young woman, she of course still feels the impact of her father’s death. “There’s old footage of Dad with the crocodiles and, even though I’ve seen the video maybe 50 times, that day I started crying,” she revealed to the outlet.

Bindi — who now stars in the Animal Planet reality series, Crikey! It’s the Irwins, with her brother and her mom, Terri — has always been open about how much she misses her dad, and how often she thinks about him. This past Father’s Day, Bindi took to Instagram to share quite the tribute for him.

“Thank you for always teaching me to stand up for what I believe in. I’m incredibly blessed to be your daughter and I love you so much. ❤️,” Bindi wrote on June 16. The TV personality even reminded everyone how strong and beautiful her parents’ connection was during their 27th wedding anniversary.

“Your love is everlasting and shines brighter each and every day,” Bindi captioned a photo showing her mom and dad embracing each other. So beautiful!

It is incredible to see the wonderful people that Bindi and her brother have grown up to be — all thanks to how they were raised of course!