Crocodile Hunter’s dad Bob Irwin snubbed at Australia Zoo
From news.com.au:
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The Crocodile Hunter’s father, Bob Irwin, was all but ignored during Steve Irwin Day celebrations at Australia Zoo yesterday in Queensland.
Bob IrwinSnubbed … Bob Irwin has been all but ignored during celebrations at Australia Zoo in honour of his late wife.
Mr Irwin, who severed his ties with the zoo in March, recently talked down rumours of a rift between him and his son’s widow, Terri, but was not seated with her and his grandchildren at the opening of an animal hospital dedicated to his late wife, Lyn Irwin.
In fact, Bob wasn’t mentioned at all.
Speeches made at the official launch of the Australian Wildlife Hospital failed to include the dedicated wildlife conservationist, who sat on his own in the third row.
Nor did Mr Irwin get a personal tour of the new $5 million facility – a project his son was heavily involved in shortly before his tragic death on September 4, 2006.
Staff briefly walked Mr Irwin through the building – the realisation of his son’s dream – for the first time yesterday morning.
“That’s why we’re here today, the hospital is in memory of Lyn Irwin,” Terri Irwin said.
“That passion, that enthusiasm for life that Lyn had, was what Steve was all about.”
The state-of-the-art wildlife hospital was dedicated to the wildlife carer who died in a car accident in 2000.
Large pictures of Lyn, Steve, Terri, her daughter Bindi, 10, and son Bob, 4, line the walls. But there are no pictures of Bob.
Zoo staff refused to answer questions about the relationship, and denied the media access to Mr Irwin during Steve Irwin Day celebrations.
Also at the zoo for the event, that celebrates the life of the Crocodile Hunter, was Veronicas member Lisa Origliasso.
The American-based musician attended the hospital opening with her mother, hospital volunteer Colleen Origliasso.
“I’m really proud of what mum does here, and my sister Jess and I are ambassadors for Wildlife Warriors, who run the hospital,” Origliasso said.
The facility will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at a cost of $2 million a year.
What an absolute shame. I seem to remember reports shorty after Steve’s death, that the rift was over the estate, which sadly, seems to tear so many families apart. Terrible that he was not included as the article describes. But, I guess you really don’t know the other side of the story.
Ed
This made me sad. No, I don’t know the other side of the story, but I think it’s awful.
…and honestly, I can’t stand Terri or Bindi. They’re just riding on Steve’s coattails anyway.
Yea, quite a corporation aren’t they? I was surprised that they had Bindi jump on the TV show bandwagon so soon after her dad’s death.
I will know the “corporation” is really in full gear when they launch a line of Bindi The Jungle Girl perfume and lip gloss.
This is very sad indeed. Steve always always talked about how his father taught him everything he knew, and for him not to be included is a disgrace to Steve.