Published Dec 3, 2024

Crocodile Hunter’s Son Robert Irwin Sees His Late Dad, As a Wax Figure— Remembering Steve Irwin & Coping With Grief

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It's Normal To Grieve

Robert Irwin, the 21- year-old son of “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, who died in a tragic stingray encounter while snorkeling in Batt Reef, Australia, 18 years ago now has his own wax figure in Sydney. On the day of his wax figure’s big unveiling, Robert met with his dad’s life-like wax figure, prompting his emotional reaction.
Grief is a difficult, truly personal process, something Robert Irwin has shown. Some find solace in vulnerability and sharing how they feel with others.
Know that it is normal to feel sad about changes in your life that might be brought on by death or a cancer diagnosis. Some days can be tougher than others, and overall, talk therapy is helpful — so it’s important to reach out to your doctor, to a therapist or to support groups in your community if you are struggling after loss.
Whichever methods of support you look for after cancer loss, you should know that there is no correct way to grieve. There is no perfect timeline for grieving, either.

It’s been 18 years since “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin had a tragic encounter with a stingray while snorkeling in Batt Reef, Australia, and passed away at age 44, when his son Robert Irwin was just two years old. Now, as Robert has just turned 21, the grieving son is able to see his beloved dad “for the first time in a longtime”—but as a wax figure.

Footage shared by news.com.au on TikTok showed Robert’s first look with his late dad’s incredibly life-like wax figure in Madame Tussauds Sydney, wax museum located in Darling Harbour in Sydney, Australia.

Not only did Robert encounter his late dad in wax form, but he also took photos alongside his own wax figure, which was unveiled last week—now he’s the youngest Australian to have a wax figure created of himself at the iconic museum.

While looking at his dad’s wax figure, an emotional Robert is seen saying, “That’s amazing. This is the first time in a long time …that he’s not just a picture.

@news.com.au
Someone give that man a hug 😭😭 Robert Irwin was seen getting emotional after seeing the Madame Tussauds wax figure of his dad Steve Irwin #robertirwin #steveirwin #celebrity #entertainment #australia #australia🇦🇺
♬ Sad and lonely – MoppySound

As for his own wax figure being put up in Madam Tussauds Sydney, he captioned an Instagram post, with photos of him standing next to his wax figure, “Caught up with my new mate today at Madame Tussaud’s Sydney… So SURREAL and such an honour! Grateful.”

He also spoke with “Sunrise,” a morning show in Australia, saying, “This is one of the most surreal moments of my entire life. This is just incredible.

“I just keep looking at every little bit going, ‘It’s me! It is me!’ I don’t know if the world is ready for two of me.”

Earlier this week, Robert celebrated his 21st birthday with a sweet throwback photo of his dad, which he shared on Instagram, writing alongside it, “Today I turn 21. I was looking through the archives a few days ago and I found these pictures of my dad on his 21st.”

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Robert Irwin (@robertirwinphotography)

He continued, “It can be hard to celebrate the milestones when there’s someone missing, but I will carry his memory and passion with me in this new chapter of life.

“I am one lucky guy to be surrounded by my amazing family today. Time to celebrate!”

The two photos Robert posted of his dad showed his dad sitting in front of his birthday cake, with what appears to be 21 lit candles on it.

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A post shared by Robert Irwin (@robertirwinphotography)

It’s understandable that no matter how many years have passed since a loved one’s death, grief is an ongoing process. Steve Irwin is survived by son Robert, his now 60-year-old conservationist wife Terri, and his daughter Bindi. And were glad the family members have each other following such a heartbreaking loss.

Earlier this year, Robert admitted to The Australian Women’s Weekly that he often wishes he could have a conversation with his late dad, explaining, “There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think: ‘Gosh, I wonder what I’d ask Dad if he was here.

“When you lose someone, a father figure, at such a young age, who is such a commanding presence of positivity and everything that is good in the world, of course all I want is for him to be here for me; to go, ‘What do you think about this, what do you think about that?’ There are so many things I wish I could ask him on so many levels.”

Thankfully, Robert said he keeps his dad alive with “little things,” like video clips, photographs, and articles of clothing.

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Robert Irwin (@robertirwinphotography)

Moving Through Grief

Grief is a difficult, truly personal process, something Robert Irwin has shown. Some find solace in vulnerability and sharing how they feel with others.

While working through grief and vulnerable tackling of the emotions that accompany it, some find tools like therapy to be helpful. Support groups can also be a benefit for those who are feeling isolated in their feelings of grief, as can turning to faith.

Whichever methods of support you look for after loss, you should know that there is no correct way to grieve. There is no perfect timeline for grieving, either.

It’s important to remember that anxiety and fear are also totally normal reactions to the news of cancer, or the loss of a loved one, and acknowledging these emotions can be therapeutic and important to the healing process.

“I think the most important advice I would give to someone who has just received a cancer diagnosis is to find people whom they find as a source of support. To allow themselves to go through all of the different emotional reactions to that news,” said Dr. Susan Parsons, Director of the Center for Health Solutions/Center on Child and Family Outcomes at Tufts Medical Center, in a prior interview with SurvivorNet.

Fear, Anger, Anxiety You’re Entitled To Your Emotions

“The anger, the frustration, the fear. The disappointment. Whatever those emotions are, figure out what’s important to you and find those people that can help you realize that,” Dr. Parsons explained.

In times of frustration, it can be useful to a little bit of direction on specific ways to deal with it. A few of the most common ways to deal with fear and anxiety after a cancer diagnosis, that have helped people in the SurvivorNet community in the past, include:

Let your family and close friends know and let them help. So many cancer survivors tell us they want and need support but are often too preoccupied to make specific requests. Urge those close to you to jump in with whatever practical help they can offer.
Keep a journal. It can be extremely cathartic to let those feelings loose on paper. Grab a pen and a nice journal and chronicle your different thoughts throughout the day.
Join a cancer support group. There are groups in nearly every community offering opportunities to connect with others going through a similar journey. You’ll learn incredibly helpful insight from others who can tell you about what to expect and how to stay strong on tough days.
Consider seeing a therapist. Ask your doctor to refer you to a therapist so you can discuss your fears and concerns in a safe space. Often, vocalizing your thoughts and feelings rather than internalizing them can provide relief.

Finding a Therapist That’s Right For You

Meanwhile, it’s important to remember that grief may look different for everyone—and the stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. These labels help us frame and identify what we may be feeling. These stages can also occur in any order.

The time it takes to navigate these stages can also vary, so giving yourself grace and patience is essential while navigating your feelings.

“It often gets better over time, but on certain days, it can look like depression, and on other days, people look perfectly normal and can function,” Dr. Scott Irwin, a board-certified psychiatrist and Director of Supportive Care Services at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet.

Dr. Irwin added that grieving people are coming to terms with “the change in their life; the future they had imagined is now different.”

Dealing With Grief After a Cancer Diagnosis

SurvivorNet also previously spoke with Megan Newcomer, who lost a close friend to metastatic cancer in 2018. She shared her unique way of coping with grief. Her friend was an athlete and soccer player, so to help her cope, she embarked on a marathon race in his honor.

Newcomer advises others grieving to first “acknowledge your feelings.”

“Then, think about a way that you could honor the person through a mechanism that is meaningful to you. So that can be artwork, music, or developing a financial fundraising project. It could be something very simple, but I do think having it be intentional is what you’re doing to help honor this person,” Newcomer adds.

In a column for SurvivorNet, New York-based clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin wrote that it may be helpful to remind yourself that these feelings are “meaningful yet temporary.”

“If you approach them with compassion, kindness, and eventually acceptance, you will come away from this period in your life more connected to your resilience and strength,” she wrote.

How to Cope With Complex & Changing Emotions

When a stressful life event occurs, people may react with a range of different (and quickly changing) emotions. This is completely normal.

“The way people respond is very variable,” Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik tells SurvivorNet. “Very much consistent with how they respond to stresses and challenges in their life in general.”

In this video, Dr. Plutchik is speaking mostly about how people react after a cancer diagnosis which can be a huge range of emotions from fear to anger to determination.

Handling stressful life events

However, the conclusion remains the same no matter what stressor someone may be dealing with: your emotions are valid and seeking mental health help may look different for every person.

“People have a range of emotions when they’re diagnosed with cancer,” Dr. Plutchik explains. “And they can include fear, anger … and these emotions tend to be fluid. They can recede and return based on where someone is in the process. Going through a cancer diagnosis is just the beginning of a complicated, complicated process.”

Dr. Plutchik explains that the patient, or person going through the stressful event, should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support whether that’s a therapist, friends and family, or both to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions.

If a stressful event is affecting how you think and feel, it may be time to seek some sort of mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking out a support group, or many other approaches.