It’s Father’s Day, in case you’d forgotten (quick, call your pa), which means it’s time to scroll past a bunch of celebrities posting cute pics of themselves with their old men alongside varying iterations of LOVE U MATE #1 DAD.
One local personality who we’d recommend pausing your scrolling for, however, is Bindi Irwin, whose dad, Steve, was like a crocodile-loving, khaki-wearing dad to an entire nation of animal lovers until his untimely death in 2006.
Today, Bindi shared a minute of video from sixteen years ago, when she was just three years old. The footage shows Steve with a toddler Bindi, talking to the camera about, of all things, bull ants.
The video just goes to show how gentle and committed Steve was to his credo of loving and respecting all animal life, and Bindi has used it to spread that message, saying:
“Dad taught me to treat every being the way you’d wish to be treated. From ants to elephants. We’re all connected.”
Australian Father’s Day❤️
Dad taught me to treat every being the way you’d wish to be treated. From ants to elephants. We’re all connected. pic.twitter.com/kkGLFWXXyu— Bindi Irwin (@BindiIrwin) September 2, 2017
Terri Irwin, Bindi’s mum and Steve’s wife, responded to the touching message:
Your dad’s love continues @BindiIrwin. I see it every day in your kindness & compassion for every living being. You & Robert make him proud. https://t.co/jJUVvuY1rg
— Terri Irwin (@TerriIrwin) September 3, 2017
And the rest of Australia feels pretty much exactly the same.
Steve Irwin was the purest guy ever and his lessons were SO important, I still think about him every day. We miss you, Steve. Always.❤ https://t.co/JSlozxaBdI
— 𝖊𝖆𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖗𝖎𝖈𝖍 (@alexnwonderIand) September 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/MasoBaker/status/904179486882660352
Growing up, your father felt like a second father to me. One of the most amazing humans ever to grace this planet. Happy Father’s Day ❤️
— mckenna bryn (@mckennabryn) September 2, 2017
Would you excuse me for a moment? I seem to have been bitten by a bull ant directly on my tear ducts.
