Bindi Irwin has been a fan favorite on Dancing With The Stars practically since the moment she first took the stage, and Monday night’s performance was no exception. The teen ruled the dance floor once again with partner Derek Hough in an emotional tribute to her father, Steve Irwin, and got a surprise when the dance was over.
Bindi has spoken before about her friendship with Hough, who has helped her heal some of the wounds left when her father suddenly passed away, and said on Monday that she never wanted to revisit the pain from that loss, but over the course of the season she and Derek have paid tribute to her dad several times. On Monday, Derek surprised Bindi with a giant photo of her with her dad, which appeared onstage after their performance.
“You can see all the bruises on the outside, and the inside of me is kind of the same. I never really talked about everything that I felt when dad passed away, and I never thought I’d revisit that. But to have Derek there to say, ‘It’s OK, I’m there for you,’ was something that I was so grateful for,” Bindi said, showing off the battle wounds she’s sustained while practicing the routines.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house after that, and the duo snagged another perfect score for their freestyle performance. But it isn’t just about the numbers for Bindi, who says the show has changed her life.
Bindi Irwin took to Instagram after the show to share another photo of her family, saying it was the last photo they got to take together.
“The last photo ever taken of us as a family. The day before I had to wave goodbye to my hero, without knowing it would be the last time. But Dad, I know you walk beside me always and your strength lives within me. I love you,” Bindi wrote.