It looks like late Steve Irwin continues to live on in this world. And it’s not only in the hearts of his fans.
The resemblance between the famous documentary maker and his son is remarkable, and it’s more than evident in a photo Robert Irwin recently posted to his Instagram page.
Is It Steve or Robert?
Robert was only a toddler when he tragically lost his dad after a stingray attack while filming an underwater documentary. Today, Robert’s the spitting image of his father, not only because of his appearance but because he’s continued Steve’s work.
Robert Irwin followed in his dad’s footsteps and became a wildlife photographer. At present, he has around 1.9 million followers on Instagram and regularly posts beautiful animal photos. That’s why it wasn’t surprising when he posted a photo of himself cuddling a koala bear.
However, the photo garnered lots of attention, as well as confusion – many of Robert’s followers thought that it was actually Steve in the picture. They couldn’t hide their astonishment and showered Robert with comments comparing him to his father. “You look so much like your father, it’s unreal”, “Did anyone else think this was Steve at first?” were just some of the comments posted below the photo.
There is a similar picture of Steve Irwin holding a baby alligator, taken in 2002, where father and son look practically identical – from hair color and facial features to clothes and the watches on their wrists.
Keeping the Memory Alive
Yet another photo, posted in July last year, shows just how strikingly Robert now resembles Steve.
It was a collage made of two photos, side by side. In the first shot, Steve Irwin is feeding a crocodile, and in the second– everything looks exactly the same! It’s almost impossible to spot any differences. However, it’s his son in the second photo, standing in the exact same pose and feeding the very same crocodile, 15 years later.
Another way for Robert to honor his dad was to start learning how to drive – in Steve’s well-known pickup truck. The truck is around 30 years old now and has been through all of Steve’s wildlife adventures. Driving it certainly must bring back many happy memories for Robert.
Honoring Steve’s Legacy
It’s been almost 14 years since Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray, but his family still feels the emptiness without him. It’s obvious how much Robert, his sister Bindi, and their mother Terri valued Steve’s work and wanted to honor his legacy. So, they found a way to keep him close and make him proud.
After the tragedy, some may have thought the family would give up on wildlife altogether. But love for Steve encouraged them to become dedicated conservationists and keep working at the Australia Zoo with the same enthusiasm Steve used to always display. Today you can watch them in the Crikey! It’s the Irwins show on Discovery channel and enjoy the Crocodile Hunter’s wildlife adventures carried on by his family.
