page_title: Terri Irwin
section_title: Marriage to Steve Irwin
hierarchical_section_title: Terri Irwin / Personal life / Marriage to Steve Irwin
caption_attribution_description: English: Steve Irwin, Wes Mannion and Terri Irwin
context_page_description: Terri Irwin AM is an American–Australian naturalist, conservationist, author, and the owner of Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland. Born in Oregon, United States, she began an independent animal rehabilitation center for injured predator mammals at age 22 while working for her family's trucking business.
  While touring wildlife rehabilitation facilities in Australia in 1991, she had a chance meeting with naturalist Steve Irwin, whose father founded Australia Zoo. The two married in 1992, and went on to co-star in The Crocodile Hunter, their unconventional television nature documentary series and its spin-off series, Croc Files, The Crocodile Hunter Diaries, and Crikey! It's the Irwins. They had two children, Bindi and Robert, before Steve Irwin's death in 2006. She became a naturalised Australian citizen in 2009.
context_section_description: Terri met Steve Irwin in Australia in 1991. The couple married in her home state of Oregon in 1992 before returning to live in Australia. She and her children were reportedly trekking in Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, on the morning of September 4, 2006, when Steve died after sustaining heart injuries from a short-tail stingray barb which pierced his chest. He was filming an underwater documentary at the time at Batt Reef near Port Douglas in Queensland.
  In her first statement since her husband's death, Irwin announced the Australian memorial service (on September 20, 2006, at Australia Zoo in Queensland) would be open to the public, and that people who wished to attend should make a donation to Irwin's "Wildlife Warriors" fund. The service was held at the "Crocoseum," a 5,500-seat open-air amphitheater, which Steve built at the zoo and which she chose over any larger facility. She also thanked well-wishers for their "overwhelming outpouring of love, support and prayers for [her] family". Terri herself was seemingly too upset to speak at the ceremony. She remained with her son, Robert, during the proceedings, but daughter Bindi spoke about her love for her father, for which she received a standing ovation.
  Australian TV network Channel 9 screened an interview between Irwin and local presenter Ray Martin, on September 27, at 8:30pm on the station. During the interview, she said "And I'll make Australia Zoo bigger. I'll make it bigger... because I promised." Barbara Walters held an interview with Irwin on The View, which aired September 27 in the US.
  On October 31, 2006, Irwin was invited to the Royal Albert Hall to award a Special Recognition Award to Sir David Attenborough at the British National Television Awards. When she came on stage, the entire audience gave her a standing ovation. Irwin fought back tears, while the camera cut to Neighbours star Alan Fletcher, who was shown to be also fighting back tears. She cited Attenborough as a great inspiration for her husband, saying "If there's one person, other than his father, who directly inspired my husband, it's the person being honoured tonight." and going on to say "[Steve's] real, true love was conservation – and the influence of tonight's recipient in preserving the natural world has been immense."
  Attenborough reciprocated by praising her husband for introducing many to the natural world, saying "He taught them how wonderful and exciting it was; he was a born communicator." Terri published a memoir, My Steve, about her relationship and marriage with Steve Irwin, in 2007.
  On January 3, 2007, the only video footage showing the events that led to Steve Irwin's death was handed over to Terri, who said the video would never become public, and noted her family has not seen the video either.  In a January 11, 2007 interview with Access Hollywood, Terri said "all footage has been destroyed."  On March 2, 2008 it was announced that Bob Irwin, father of Steve Irwin, had resigned from Australia Zoo, of which he was the founder, in order to "keep his son's dream alive" on a different property with his wife. In a statement to the press, the elder Irwin thanked the staff for all their help but made no mention of Terri. At the same time, the zoo was being sued for $2.5 million by a debt collection agency, but the lawsuit was later dropped in an out-of-court settlement.
  In a 2018 interview, Terri told People magazine that she hadn't dated or had a relationship since her husband's death. "There's always the potential to find love again, and that's a beautiful thing...but I had my happily ever after," she said, "[So] I'm doing okay."
caption: Terri (right) and Steve Irwin (left) with Wes Mannion (centre)
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