Robert Irwin was “overwhelmed” after seeing the wax figure of his father, the late Steve Irwin, for the first time at Madame Tussauds.
The 20-year-old, a conservationist and zookeeper like his father, came across his father's sculpture on Thursday at the unveiling of his wax figure at Madame Tussauds in Sydney, Australia.
“That's amazing. It's been a long time since he wasn't just a picture,” Robert said, fighting back tears.
The TV star took a deep breath and shook his head before walking away. Video posted by News.com.au.
Steve Irwin died in 2006 after being attacked by a stingray. Robert was only two years old at the time. He currently works with his sister Bindi, 26, at Australia Zoo, which is owned by his father and mother Terry Irwin.
Robert is the youngest person to be recreated in wax form at Madame Tussauds in Sydney.
“This is one of the most surreal moments of my life. It's just incredible,” Robert said of his honor during an appearance on an Australian morning show. “sunrise.”
“I just keep observing every little thing, 'This is me!' It's me! I don't know if the world is ready for both of us.”
Robert also talked about seeing a wax figure of his father made in 2015 placed near him.
“It was my first time seeing a wax figure of my father. I had seen it in pictures, but never in real life,” he said.
“I was overwhelmed with emotion. I never expected something like that to happen, but I was so moved to see it happen. For the past 17 years of my life, my father has been photographed and videotaped. It was a big thing to actually see my dad just standing there. It was actually a lot to take in.”
Reliving this experience was emotional for Robert as well, and he fought back tears again.
“It was very emotional,” he continued. “But you know what? My life is about carrying on his legacy, so the fact that I'm with him right now means a lot. I'm really grateful.”
Robert recently achieved a new accolade when he was appointed as a global ambassador for Prince William's Earthshot Prize, a global challenge created by the Prince of Wales aimed at solving the world's biggest environmental problems.
