On 11 May, the Steve Irwin Gala was held in honour of the late Steve Irwin’s legacy as a wildlife conservationist.
During the event, the Wildlife Warrior’s widow Terri Irwin shared an intimate story involving her granddaughter Grace Powell and an unexpected case of mistaken identity.
Grace, the daughter of Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell, has stolen hearts thanks to her adorable smile.
And according to her grandmother Terri, the three-year-old sometimes gets her family members mixed up!
Terri revealed at the Steve Irwin Gala that Grace would occasionally call Robert ‘Grandpa Crocodile’, which is the nickname she uses for Steve, who was known to the public as the ‘Crocodile Hunter’.
Terri noted the strong physical resemblance between Robert and Steve, and described Grace’s notice of that resemblance as “really special.”
Despite tragically passing away in 2006, Steve has always been in Grace’s life through video footage.
Bindi has made a conscious effort to give her daughter an understanding of the incredible man Steve was.
“We have so many documentaries of Dad, and we’re always playing them for Grace,” Bindi told PEOPLE in 2022.
“It’s so fun to watch her study him,” she added. “I didn’t realise how much Dad’s passion for life and his animated facial expressions — I mean, they captivate her.”
Although her father died when she was very young, Bindi has shared that she learned a lot about parenting from both Terri and Steve.
“The best thing our parents ever did for us was be there for us, no matter what was happening in the world, with our conservation work. Mom and Dad were there for Robert and me 100% of the time,” Bindi said at the gala, noting that her parents never put their work before their kids.
“Life is filled with ups and downs, but if you can count on your parents to love you and support you through your life journey, that’s everything, and I hope I can do that for Grace.”
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