Before every Dancing With The Stars show, Robert Irwin wears a special “good luck charm”.
It’s a sentimental move that keeps him close to his late dad.
The 21-year-old does one rehearsal for his dance every week, wearing tattered old blue shirt, one that used to belong to Steve Irwin.
Watch the video above.
“It keeps me close to home, it keeps me close to him, it just feels like a big hug every time I put it on,” Robert said in an Instagram video explaining the meaning of the shirt.
Irwin explained that he “was going through [Steve’s] stuff” when he found the shirt.
“It’s absolutely tattered and had holes and all sorts in it and missing buttons,” he added.
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“So I went and got it all fixed up, new buttons attached. Everything all patched back up again and all the holes repaired. Kind of got it back up to scratch and I like that it still looks and feels like him.
“I mean each one of the tears and the holes and the missing buttons tells another story and this shirt definitely saw a lot.
“I guess it’s kind of a good example for how dad lived his life at 100 per cent.”
Every Tuesday as they prepare for show day, Robert will put on the shirt and “go to the studio to get into wardrobe”.
He will always be wearing the shirt when they do their first rehearsals, even often wearing it under his costume during dress rehearsals.
“So before you guys see me dance in costume, I’ve always done that dance at least once in Dad’s shirt,” he explained.
“Every time I step out into the ballroom I represent my message, my dad’s legacy, my home, my family. It is such an honour to get to do that.”
It’s also not the only “good luck charm” he carries with him during rehearsals.
He also wears a gold ring that reminds him of home, his family and his late dad.
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Robert had a set of keys from Robert and Bindi’s “original childhood home” melted down and turned into a ring and had it engraved with the numbers 1638 – the street address of his family’s home at Australia Zoo.
“I’ve been putting it on every Tuesday morning when I go in for the Dancing With The Stars live taping,” he said.
“It’s the most beautiful experience and in some way I want him part of it because this experience has truly changed my life and I know I wouldn’t be here without him and his legacy that I get to continue.”
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