New celebrity mom, Bindi Irwin, was obviously in a more-than-usual proud Father’s Day mood yesterday.
The daughter of the late beloved "Crocodile Hunter" host, Steve Irwin, and co-host of her own show, “Crikey! It’s the Irwins,” took to Instagram yesterday with photos and teeming words of love for the men in her life: father Steve, husband Chandler Powell, and father-in-law, Chris Powell.
She extolled in the caption, “Appreciation post for the three most incredible fathers in my life. My dad, my husband and my father-in-law. My dad taught me the importance of strength when standing up for what I believe in and to have empathy for all living beings. My husband amazes me every day with his kind and steadfast heart, his love for our daughter is infinite. My father-in-law works tirelessly for his family and is always there with a word of encouragement. These extraordinary men inspire me and I love them so very much.”
Conspicuously absent was her grandfather, Bob Irwin. And when one Facebook commenter asked about her relationship with him, we got a deep dive into an obviously touchy situation in the otherwise happy, animal-loving Irwin family.
It seems grandad has been extremely absent for years, and has not even met his new granddaughter, Grace Warrior. The details did not end there, as Bindi replied adding color to the situation.
"Unfortunately, my grandfather Bob has shown no interest in spending time with me or my family. He has returned gifts I’ve sent after he opened them, he has ignored my correspondence and from the time I was a little girl he has ignored me, preferring to spend time doing anything else rather than being with me. He has never said a kind word to me personally."
It gets worse.
Apparently her mother, Terri, tries to keep the lines of communication open, and the family still financially supports the incommunicado grandpa.
“My mum still writes to him and sends birthday and Christmas gifts to him with no response," Irwin continued. "We have also been his financial support since 1992 when he retired from Australia Zoo, sending him funds every week. We built him a house on a beautiful property and will always do our best to ensure his well-being."
Even in our oversharing age, that is a high level of emotional baggage unpacking.
Bindi, though, is using the moment as a way to emphatically encourage all to take care of their mental health, as she concludes the comment with, "I hope everyone remembers to be kind to one another but most of all take care for your own mental health. I have struggled with this relationship my entire life and it brings me enormous pain. I have to choose to care for my own mental health now."
And if Bindi’s new baby-fawning and inspiring career are any indication, she is doing great at keeping a positive outlook on life. Just check out those adorable shots she posted a few days ago of her, husband, and new baby walking around, where else, the Australia Zoo.
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