Robert Irwin had everyone on the stage and at home absolutely sobbing during his heartfelt performance on Dancing With the Stars’ “Dedication Night” Tuesday night. The 21-year-old wildlife conservationist who is the son of the late Steve Irwin and Terri Irwin was accompanied by partner Witney Carson on the ballroom floor for a contemporary routine to Phil Collins’ “You’ll Be in My Heart.” The dance was his dedication to his mum, Terri.
“I want to dedicate this dance to my mum,” Irwin told host ahead of the performance. “She’s an absolute hero to me, because I was two when I lost Dad, and as I got older, I suddenly realized just how hard it would have been for her to be there for us – and all the while, continue Dad’s legacy that she and Dad built together.”
The story was told through movement throughout the song, as Robert and Carson’s routine was powerful and emotional, brimming with the gratitude, grief, and love Robert spoke of in his introduction. By the end of the song, Terri had made her way out to the dance floor. The entire ballroom was silent as the mother and son shared a wordless, quiet moment of embrace as tears streamed down both of their faces. It was a moment of such pure emotion that it’s hard to put into words.
“I’ve never been able to capture the feeling of gratitude,” he said through tears after the performance. “At every milestone, I just wished my dad was there. She was there. And that was enough.” The judges, too, were overcome with emotion. Derek Hough, who was Bindi Irwin’s partner during her winning DWTS season in 2015, also gushed about the Irwin-Carson duo: “I just have so much love for you guys. The world needs the Irwin family.”
In the weeks leading up to “Dedication Night,” Robert had shared on Instagram and TikTok that rehearsals for the episode’s performances had been emotional. “This dance is for my mum,” he wrote in an Instagram story. “It’s for anyone who’s lost someone… and it’s for all the strong mothers of the world who deserve our recognition and appreciation.”
He explained in a TikTok that it also brought up “a lot of emotions” he hadn’t spoken about before in relation to his father’s death when he was only two years old. “I’ve been thinking a lot about my mum and her strength,” he said. “How she’s kept my dad part of my life. I’ve been tapping into emotions I haven’t shared before – the highs and the lows, the grief, the way my mum’s helped me navigate that.” The Irwin family is a household name when it comes to love, resilience, and a commitment to wildlife conservation. Steve Irwin died in 2006 after being injured by a stingray during a documentary film he was shooting on the Great Barrier Reef. Almost 20 years later, his memory is kept alive through his family’s work at Australia Zoo and now through his son’s performance on Dancing With the Stars.
At the end of the night, the judges announced that no one would be in jeopardy of elimination this week which means Robert will be dancing for at least one more round, and hopefully all the way to the finale.