Tragic Details About Robert Irwin

It seems as though Robert Irwin has always been photographed smiling. As he's gotten older, the young zookeeper has certainly made a name for himself as an accomplished photographer, "Dancing With the Stars" contestant, and host of "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!" He's even been granted groundbreaking titles, like Global Ambassador for Prince William's Earthshot Prize in 2024. Amid all these career achievements, the wildlife photographer's persistent can-do attitude still left him beaming from ear to ear. With such a joyous front, one might mistake Irwin's bubbly personality for someone who has lived a life of comfort and ease, but under the surface of his glowing persona is a history of tragedy and strife.

From a very young age, Irwin experienced unimaginable grief with the sudden loss of his father, Steve Irwin. Since joining "Dancing With the Stars," Irwin has reflected on the hardships he's faced throughout his life. In a moment of vulnerability, Irwin shared on his TikTok in October 2025, "I've been thinking a lot about the highs and the lows, the grief, the way my mom has helped me navigate that." As always, when faced with the mounting pressure and pain of his personal life, Irwin found a glimmer of hope, writing in his caption, "Tough week. Emotional week. Beautiful week."

Before there was Robert Irwin advocating for animals, there was Steve Irwin, his father. The beloved show "The Crocodile Hunter" shot Steve to fame, earning him spots on similar series, like "Croc Files" and "Croc Diaries." Although Steve rocketed the Irwin name to great heights, his dangerous lifestyle eventually led to tragedy, as a stingray attack ended his life in 2006. His lasting impact on the conservation world left an impression on his young son, Robert, who was just 2 years old when his father died. Talking with People, Robert touched on his memories of his father. "My dad is like a superhero figure," Robert shared. "While I didn't have much time with my dad, I have a human being who exemplifies everything I want to be in life."

Robert has used his father's blueprint on life to navigate his own, becoming a conservationist and animal rights activist years following his own father's strides in the fields. With Robert's great success, rising fame, and incredible achievements, he felt the pain of having to celebrate these milestone moments without his father. As he prepared to compete on "Dancing With the Stars," Robert reflected on this very feeling, expressing a wish that his father could have been there to see him perform. "I'm doing this and I do what I do in life to make him proud," he told People.

With Robert Irwin's great love for animals, it comes as no surprise that he has a pet of his own, a beloved pug named Stella. Irwin's love for his pup and the internet's immediate obsession with the cute pug led to the creation of Stella's own Instagram page. As of October 2025, Stella's social media had over 100k followers and a page of adorable snaps of the tiny pup. However, while Irwin was away filming "Dancing With the Stars," tragedy struck. As he shared in a transparent post on Instagram, "This is a tough one. I wanted to give an unfortunate update on my sweet little pup, Stella. A mass was discovered that ended up being cancerous. We still don't know the full extent of the cancer."

The diagnosis took an especially harsh toll on the conservationist, as he was away from his pet at the time. Irwin, who referred to Stella as his "little bestie," continued in his caption, "She is such an important part of our little fam, so it's been stressful to say the least being away from home and away from her while she goes through this." It was a scary time for the TV personality, but one that, thankfully, had a happy ending. Irwin took to Instagram later in October 2025 to share the good news that after an operation, Stella appeared to be cancer-free.

Steve Irwin did more with his time than act as a TV personality who worked closely with some crazy dangerous animals; he also ran the Australia Zoo in Queensland with his wife, Terri Irwin. The zoo became such a huge part of their family's life that the Irwin clan actually lived within the zoo itself. Despite the large role that the zoo played in their lives, after Steve's sudden death, the family was left with only $200,000 in an insurance policy payout. The shockingly low sum did little to support the family and the zoo, as Robert Irwin's mother told the Australian Financial Review in 2024, "I was in debt ... and Steve's life insurance, I think, was the sum total of $200,000, which didn't even cover half of one week's payroll." 

Stress mounted, payments increased, and Terri, as an insider reported, didn't know who else to turn to but her growing-in-popularity son, Robert. "Terri wants to keep it all running, not just for the family, but for Steve's legacy. That means she needs to bring in a small fortune. Right now, Robert is her best hope — and he's throwing himself at every moneymaking opportunity," the insider shared (via Globe). This pressure placed on the young man's shoulders had to be stressful as he continued to climb in his celebrity status and take on job after job to cover not only his own expenses, but the expenses of his father's legacy. 

Back in December 2022, Robert Irwin appeared as a guest panelist on the show "The Sunday Project." In the episode, the zookeeper revealed a heartbreaking family illness. Speaking with the other panelists, Irwin revealed that his grandfather had been diagnosed with a form of dementia. As he discussed the hardships of adjusting to such news, Irwin addressed the difference in his grandfather. He noted a particular difficulty with the experience, saying, "It's just, it's devastating that someone you love, someone you're close to, you see going through that. Just not being able to relive and enjoy the moments they had, it's heartbreaking" (via 7News).

As Irwin discussed his grandfather's struggle, he touched on his other experiences with dementia. Irwin revealed that not only had his grandparent been diagnosed, but that he had several family friends who had been diagnosed with the same condition. Irwin added a bit of advice to those experiencing something similar, musing, "I guess it just reminds you, you gotta spend every second with the people you love and really surround yourself with love and light" (via 7News).

Back in January 2018, at age 14, Robert Irwin faced a medical scare that forced him to undergo emergency surgery. On New Year's Day, Irwin was admitted to McKenzie-Willamette Hospital for an emergency appendix removal. Terri Irwin shared on X (formerly Twitter), that the surgery went well, praising the work of the doctors who removed her son's "pesky appendix." Robert took to Instagram to reassure fans that he was recovering just fine with a picture of him in a hospital bed with two thumbs up. "Kicking off the new year with emergency surgery," he joked in his caption.

If this medical scare wasn't terrifying enough for the young man to face, years later in May 2025, his sister would undergo the same surgery after her appendix burst. Bindi Irwin, no stranger to medical complications, tried to delay the surgery, given its inopportune timing: the night of the Steve Irwin Gala in Las Vegas. Understanding the pain, Robert supported his sister's decision to admit herself to the hospital. Due to the important night, he was unable to be by her side in the hospital, but Robert was ready to sing his sister's praises on the rope line of the red carpet. "She is a tough, tough person," he told Access Hollywood.