Why Robert Irwin Fought Back Tears After Seeing Late Dad Steve Irwin’s Wax Figure

Robert Irwin is remembering his dad Steve Irwin.

The son of the late zookeeper and conservationist became visibly emotional as he stood next to his dad’s wax figure at Madame Tussauds in Sydney, Australia, for the very first time, fighting tears as he addressed reporters.

“That is amazing,” Robert said in a TikTok video posted by News.com.au Nov. 28. “It’s the first time in a long time that he’s not just a picture.”

Later, the 20-year-old explained why seeing the figure of his father—who died at age 44 after a 2006 stingray attack—was such a poignant moment for him.

“I didn’t think that was gonna happen, but I was actually quite emotional,” he told Australian morning show Sunrise. “Dad, for the last 17 years of my life, has been pictures and video, and to actually see him kind of just standing there, it was a lot. It was actually a lot to take in, and it was a really beautiful thing.”