It’s been an emotional week for Robert Irwin on Dancing With the Stars, and the young wildlife enthusiast has opened up about why.
The 21-year-old has been reflecting on his mum’s incredible strength, especially following the death of his dad, beloved Australian icon Steve Irwin, in 2006.
On the show’s ‘Dedication Night’, Robert and his pro partner, Witney Carson, performed a dance honouring the people who’ve shaped their lives.
Robert chose to dedicate his performance to his mum, Terri Irwin.
And, in a beautiful surprise, Terri ended up joining Robert for the last moments of the dance. The two, both visibly emotional, embraced as the dance ended.
Ahead of Dancing with the Stars‘ ‘Dedication Night,’ Robert explained why he chose to dedicate a dance to Terri on Instagram.
“It has been an emotional week in rehearsals. I’ve been thinking a lot about my mum and her strength. I’ve been reminiscing on the times we’ve spent as a family and how she has kept my dad part of my life. This dance is for my mum, it’s for anyone who’s lost someone… and it’s for all the strong mothers of the world who deserve our recognition and appreciation ❤️,” Robert captioned a post.
“Tonight I dance for my mum, the strongest person I know. My mum and dad created a legacy that I’m proud to continue. I hope I can use this dance to share what she means to me, to our family, and to say thank you for always supporting me through life’s ups and downs,” he captioned another.
“I love you forever and always. Together we are strong. 💕,” Terri commented on his first post.
Terri also shared a post of her own on Instagram, with the caption, “It’s dedication night, week five @dancingwiththestars. I’m incredibly honoured that Robert thought of me. Steve and I always talked about how much it meant to us to be parents. So much love. This will be a special night.💕”
We’re not crying. You’re crying.
