Robert Irwin was visibly moved when he first encountered the wax figure of his late father, Steve Irwin, at Madame Tussauds. The 20-year-old conservationist and zookeeper, following in his father's footsteps, was present at the unveiling of his own wax figure at Madame Tussauds Sydney in Australia on Thursday.
"That is amazing. It’s the first time in a long time that he’s not just a picture," Robert said, struggling to hold back tears. The TV star took a deep breath and shook his head before walking away, as captured in a video posted by News.com.au.
Steve Irwin passed away in 2006 after a fatal encounter with a stingray. Robert, who was just two years old at the time, now works alongside his sister, Bindi, 26, at the Australia Zoo, which was owned by his parents, Steve and Terri Irwin.
Robert is the youngest individual to have a wax figure created at Madame Tussauds Sydney. "This is one of the most surreal moments of my entire life. This is just incredible," Robert expressed during an appearance on the Australian morning show “Sunrise.” "I just keep looking at every little detail and thinking, ‘It’s me! It is me!’ I don’t know if the world is ready for two of me."
Robert also reflected on seeing his father’s wax figure, which was created in 2015 and is displayed nearby. "It was the first time I’d ever gotten to see my dad’s wax figure. I’d seen pictures of it, but I’d never seen it in real life," he shared. "I was overcome with emotion. And I didn’t think that was gonna happen, but I was actually quite emotional seeing it. 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."
Recalling the experience was also deeply emotional for Robert, as he again fought back tears. "It was very emotional," he continued. "But you know what? My life’s about continuing his legacy, so the fact that I get to be there with him now means a lot. I’m truly so grateful."
Recently, Robert received another significant honor, being named a global ambassador for Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, a global initiative created by the Prince of Wales aimed at addressing the world’s most pressing environmental issues.
Source link: https://nypost.com
