Steve Irwin penned a heartfelt note to his parents at the age of 32, his dad has revealed. The late Crocodile Hunter expressed his gratitude for his parents, Bob and Lyn, in the handwritten note published in Bob’s new memoir, The Last Crocodile Hunter: A Father and Son Legacy.
“Probably one of the most unfortunate things in a ‘Bloke’s Life’ is that it takes over 30 years to realize how essential you have been to build my character, my ethics and, most importantly, my HAPPINESS,” the wildlife expert’s letter, written 12 years before his death, reads. “At 32, I am finally starting to figure it out. In good times and in bad, you were there. Your strength and endurance to raise me will not go unrewarded. My love for you is my strength! For the rest of my life I will reflect on the unbelievably GREAT times we’ve shared and will continue to share. You’re my best friends!”
According to the BBC, Bob told an Australian news outlet that he found the letter earlier this year after it fell out of a book.
On the envelope, Steve had written: “Please be happy to know that your strength and wisdom have been passed on.”
The naturalist died on September 4, 2006, after being pierced in the chest by a stingray’s barb. He had been filming an underwater documentary titled Ocean’s Deadliest.
He is survived by his parents, wife Terri and their kids, Bindi and Robert. His family has continued his legacy and continues to run the Australia Zoo.
Bob’s book, The Last Crocodile Hunter: A Father and Son Legacy, hits shelves on October 25.
