Behind any man in the limelight is often a wife whose name we may not even know. They partner, encourage, and support from behind the scenes.
Many people may not know very much about Terri Irwin, the wife of Steve Irwin from The Crocodile Hunter on Animal Planet. But they may know this- she was not a “backstage” kind of woman. Instead, she pulled her hair into a ponytail and stepped in front of the camera right and into your livingroom along with her Crocodile Hunter husband without a second thought.
In fact, the very first time she was seen on screen had involved trapping crocodiles on their honeymoon, no less.
After all, the man who introduced “crikey” to everyday language didn’t dare shed the khaki and head to the Bahamas with his new bride for a conventional vacation. Not when they had a documentary to make (which ended up being the first episode of their popular television show). Terri was thrilled to join in the adventure.
See, when the Irwins found each other, they found their soul mate. Both had a passion for animals, to say the least. When Terri met Steve, she had already started her own animal rehabilitation facility called Cougar Country back home in Eugene, Oregon and was working as a veterinary technician. On a trip to Australia with a friend to tour other rehab facilities, she ended up at the Australia Zoo.
Steve was demonstrating his crocodile skills.
It was love at first sight.
After witnessing him enthusiastically wrangling crocs like an “environmental Tarzan,” her only thought was that “this man is the most incredible guy I have ever seen. He’s gotta be married.” The couple fell hard for each other quickly, talking for hours after the rest of the crowd had left the demonstration. And he decided to put her to work at the zoo.
A mere four months later, in June of 1992, they married.
Terri had met her “prince.”
She left America behind and the couple established roots in Australia to pursue their conservation efforts and run the zoo, which the couple then owned. Their television show was a family affair, with their children Bindi and Robert joining the fun along the way and experiencing childhoods among the animals. The family treasured their time together and the wildlife they invested so much in.
When Steve passed away in 2006 due to an unfortunate stingray incident while filming a documentary, Terri was suddenly left with two kids, a zoo, and a legacy.
“It’s a long road I’ve got ahead of me,” Terri is reported to have said as she vowed to continue the work they had been building for years.
She was determined to stay focused on their mission and keep his legacy alive. She became an Australian citizen in November of 2009 as a tribute to her late husband, the moment commemorated during Steve Irwin Day celebrations held at the Australia Zoo. She created a wildlife reserve in his name and continues to run the 1,500 acre zoo, where the family currently lives at its center and wake up to a chorus of animals every day. Even Bindi, now 13, has continued to make a name for herself on Animal Planet and on the big screen, attributing her passion for nature and desire for a career with animals to her father. The family regularly watches videos of Steve so the memories of their father and husband won’t fade.
“I am proud of him and to be carrying on what he was doing,” Terri has said.
They were deeply committed to each other in life and that has stayed true for Terri after his death. To be such a devoted partner, parent, and activist had always been Steve and Terri’s mission for their lives.
And for Terri, it still is.
Natalie Soldano is a freelance writer who earned her Creative Writing degree from the University of Washingon, beginning by creating stories on the family typewriter and submitting them to her first editor- her mother. In the rare moments she is not writing, she can be found devouring whatever book is in front of her, on the hunt for a great cup of coffee, or trying not to burn dinner. She would be in a musical if anyone would let her. Her passion for Christ and heart for encouraging young women in their faith often go hand-in-hand. She lives with her husband and five chickens in Seattle. Natalie can be found blogging at This Chickadee and on Twitter.