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Not a day goes by that Bindi Irwin doesn’t think about her late father, Australian wildlife enthusiast Steve Irwin.
As the young woman celebrated her 18th birthday on Sunday, she shared a throwback photo of when she was a baby. The photo, posted on Instagram, shows her father holding her in his arms, with her mother standing beside them. Reflecting on how far she has come since she was young, Bindi wrote a touching message to accompany the image.
“Well today marks 18 years of life for me, here in Australia and I really don’t know where to begin in thanking so many people for an unforgettable journey so far. So I think that I’ll start here, with this photograph,” Bindi wrote. “This photo was taken within the first year of my life. To be perfectly honest life has changed in a million ways since this photograph was taken. Along the way we gained another incredible part of our family, my brother Robert.”
She continued, “Our conservation work with Wildlife Warriors took off around the world. Our home, Australia Zoo continued to expand and has become the greatest zoological facility on planet earth. Our Dad, Mum’s soulmate and a superhero for us all, passed away. However, since this photo was taken, 18 years ago, one life ingredient has remained, unchanged, unbreakable.”
“That is the unconditional love that is shared between my beautiful little family and the loyalty we have to each other and everyone else who has taken this journey with us,” the birthday girl wrote. “I don’t think that when this photo was taken even my beautiful parents could have known what life would evolve. I know that I am endlessly grateful for the love and light I have been given since Day 1 of my life.”
In a second Instagram post, Bindi continued by expressing her exciting in what her future will bring. “I have so much happiness in my heart for the journey to come. Being 18 and embarking upon my adult years, I can’t predict what life will have in store for me. All I know is that I will try my very best to make a difference in this world with each moment that I’m given. Life is constantly evolving and I’m determined to find the light and love around every corner and share this with everyone who is a part of my story.”
What wise words from such a young woman. Happy birthday, Bindi!