Robert Irwin is currently competing on the Hollywood show Dancing with the Stars, but his heart remains firmly in Australia.
In a new interview with Travel + Leisure, the 21-year-old conservationist shared that Australia is the place that always makes him feel connected to his late dad, Steve Irwin.
“It is where I feel his energy and his passion more than anywhere else,” said Robert.
“That’s the great part of getting to live here,” added the Australian native. “It’s so easy to get out in the middle of nowhere and just forget everything. You feel like you’re part of something so much bigger than yourself.”
For the unversed, Steve passed away on September 4, 2006, after being attacked by a stingray while filming on the coast of Australia.
Elsewhere in the interview, Robert shared that his dad father was always “the embodiment of passion, of living life to 100 percent.”
“If Australia were a person, it would be my dad,” he said. “To love your wildlife, to be passionate, to have that spirit of mateship and camaraderie with everyone. He is just a superhero to me.”
On September 16, Robert stole all the limelight with his stunning performance to Steppenwolf’s track Born to Be Wild on the premiere episode of DTWS season 34.
