Bindi Irwin Honors Dad Steve After DWTS Win: "I Hope He's Proud"

After a long and emotional season on Dancing With the Stars, Bindi Irwin took home the coveted Mirrorball Trophy on Tuesday, Nov. 24. Alongside her partner, Derek Hough, Irwin, 17, became the Season 21 champion.

“I am so speechless right now! I can’t believe it!” the animal conservationist told Us Weekly right after her win. “The glitter all over the floor may be from my mind just exploding into glitter! No, I am so honored and so blessed to be here. And this entire experience has felt like the most beautiful gift.”

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough win Dancing With The Stars — Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough were crowned Season 21 champions during the finale of “Dancing with the Stars”

Bindi, who often spoke of her late father, Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, throughout the season, brought viewers to tears on Monday night during her emotional freestyle tribute to her dad. On Tuesday, she opened up about how her father would be reacting if he could have been there.

Bindi Irwin and her dad, Steve Irwin, in 2005

“I couldn’t even imagine if Dad was here right now!” she told Us, laughing. “Honestly, I hope that he’d be proud of me and I hope that I’m able to carry on in his footsteps and make sure that his legacy lives on, because his strength is what keeps me going. And life is filled with so many challenges and beautiful moments and to be able to share them with my family and to be able to share them with the ones that you love the most, that’s what’s the most important thing in life.”

Steve died in September 2006 after being stung several times by a massive stingray. Bindi was 8 at the time and her younger brother, Robert, was 2.

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