Terri Irwin

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Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to the newest episode of Teen Beat. I am your adult host, Danielle Fischel, podcaster, TV director, recent ballroom competitor, mom of two, and a former child actor who spent all of her teenage years in front of cameras and a live studio audience as Topanga Lawrence on the 90s TV show Boy Meets World. From my first kiss to my first haircut, you saw it all. Every Friday night on your local ABC affiliate, and now more than 30 years later, it's time I turn the tables. Every week I'm sitting with a celebrity, someone who has made their wildest dreams come true, hoping I can now expose their childhoods to the world in an almost tit-for-tat situation, assuming it will give us a glimpse into the person they are today. Since their first pimple wasn't also broadcast as part of a TGIF block of programming, the least they can do is share it with me now. I gave you my childhood. It's time we hear yours. And on this episode, as a teenager who spent most of her free time shopping at the mall, carrying a vanilla ice blended, extra vanilla, and complaining about boys, I'm ready to finally walk a little on the wilder side. My guest was raised in Eugene, Oregon, the youngest of three daughters in a family that was concerned about the environment at a time when most people figured that was just Captain Planet's job. She saw their own detrucking company bringing home wild animals he would find injured on the highway in order to nurse them back to health. And from that moment on, she'd dedicate her life to conservatism and preserving all forms of wildlife, eventually becoming one of the world's most beloved zookeepers. Her interests and related travels would bring her to Australia at the age of 27. Where she would meet her future husband, Steve Irwin, in a chance encounter at a wildlife rehabilitation center. You know, where we all hang out on vacations. They would marry eight months later, film their first documentary during their honeymoon, and the rest is history. They'd have two children, Bindi and Robert, before Steve's death from an injury sustained while filming their wildly popular TV series, The Crocodile. Overnight, she would become a single mother and single zookeeper, taking over every aspect of the family business, the Australia Zoo in Barowak, Queensland, making sure her husband's legacy continued well beyond not only his life, but for generations to come. Today, I will talk to her not only about her own backstory, but also how she navigated the teenage years of her own children to the future generations of her family. And two absolute gems who have now individually captured the hearts of both Australia and the United States, reminding the world not only of her mission statement on conservatism, but also just pure kindness. To say she is impressive is a gross understatement. But I know deep down, somewhere inside, there might just be an awkward teenager. Let's find out with my teen beat guest this week, the pride of Australia, Mrs. Terry Irwin. Terry, thank you so much for talking to me. I really don't think there is a single human being in the world that wouldn't jump at the opportunity to learn more about you. So I consider myself to be very lucky. Well, that's very kind because I was thinking who wouldn't jump at the opportunity to have a chat with you because this is really special. So thank you very much for thinking of me. Of course, you were truly one of the very first people I thought of, especially after getting to know your family just the tiniest bit during Dancing with the Stars. I thought to myself, wow, that is a woman who should be studied. That's somebody who has a perspective to share that everyone can benefit from. So I would like to start by talking about your dad a little bit. Oh, my God, yeah. Yes, and your life in Oregon. So he owned a trucking company, right? And he would bring home wounded animals that he would encounter on the highway for rehabilitation. Can you describe what this like makeshift vet scenario looked like at your home where you would rehab these animals? Sure thing. Now, I was very lucky to have such terrific parents. And my dad was just amazing because, you know, he's the guy who grew up in the depression, was in World War II, was a motorcycle cop, and then finally landed driving a heavy haul truck. So he would drive all over the place and then come home with little animals that may need help. But he was also very good at building things. And he really gave me these gifts with how to approach life to treat other living beings. And I felt very lucky to have that upbringing. So I can remember one time in particular, he brought home these Maganser ducks. And just for starters, I had no idea what a Maganser duck was. And I'm like seven years old. I also don't know what a Maganser duck is. Yes. So this duck comes in, these ducklings, right? Because the mama was hit by a car. So he brings the ducklings and they have a thin bill with kind of serrated edges. So they're not like platypus bill. They're like a little... Like a little... Pred little knives. Yeah, little knives. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So we're like, this is confusing. This is a duck, but it's not interested in grain or anything. What do we do? So when I was seven, the way we Googled was called the Encyclopedia Britannica. Love a good Encyclopedia set. Love a good Encyclopedia set. Yes. So we were looking up what on earth is this and discovered that Maganser ducks who are really cute, when they grow up, they have this real cool haircut and they're just darling little things, but they eat things like little minnows and worms and insects. And so my dad put something together for these ducks with a kid's waiting pool and we would go down to the creek and we would catch minnows, hundreds of minnows. And then we would go out at night and he taught me to take a flashlight and put red cellophane on it because when the night crawlers came out of the ground at night and you shone a light on them, the little worms would disappear back into the earth. But the red light, they didn't see. So then you could pick up the earth worms to feed the ducks. And the ducks were so tiny that they would eat a worm and the worm would like move them because they were little and the worm was big. But I learned how to catch night crawlers, how to feed these ducklings and took care of them until they were big enough to fly, which was really special. It strikes me hearing you tell that story that it seems like a lot of the most influential men in your life have had such a wonderful mix of strong masculinity mixed with a lot of that other like divine feminine side that's very empathetic and caring for animals. Like what wonderful representation for a man to have both? Oh, I agree. I agree. And what great lessons to learn. I can remember, of course, I wanted to keep them forever and ever. And he said to me, he said, look at your bedroom. You have everything you need in here. You have toys. You have a window with a view. He said, imagine if I brought you your food in your room, but you never got to leave your room. And I was like, hmm, I'd get pretty bored. So he said, that's why you have to totally let stuff go. So I went, oh, I get it. Even though they're happy and healthy, they want to fly and do their own thing. Yeah. Very good at explaining things to me as well. But I always appreciated that. And I found his kindness a strength. Yes. Being willing to stop and help and fix the problem and come to the end solution and let them go. So it was really, really special. But you're right. I've always admired men who are so secure in their masculinity that they can raise everyone up. They're not like, I have to be the top dog and be all tough. I want to raise you up and have you succeed and do well and do what you love. I love that. What were you like in high school? Tell me about teenage Terry. I like to think about you just walking around nursing squirrels and rabbits in the halls. But I suspect you and I may not have been so different in high school. What were you like? Well, I see, I think we may have been different. Okay. Because I imagine you as the cool kid and I was kind of, kind of not quite as cool. Okay. I beg to differ. I imagine that people just didn't recognize you're cool. That's it. That's it. I was the mysterious veiled cool kid. Okay. But yeah, I was really passionate about working. So from the time I was a tiny tot, I loved to work. And whether I had a lemonade stand or I was picking beans, Robert always loves my picking bean story. And Bindi will say, don't ask her her picking beans story because I picked beans all summer and made $50. And now in the real world, who would work three months for $50? I mean, come on. Oh my gosh. Wait, what, what, what kind of pick? Who were you picking beans for? Well, there's, you know, it's just a farm that had string beans and you could be gainfully employed to pick beans and then they'd weigh them at the end of the day. And then you got however much per pound and then they would sell the beans. So they had a lot of, I think the child labor is the wrong word, but they had a lot of young people that they had a lot of young people who were eager and didn't know that maybe they were being slightly taken advantage of. So by high school, I had this kind of work ethic. And I started working in the family business around that time. And so I was working, we had a business that it was primarily a pilot car company and pilot cars are the ones that go in front of and behind of great big loads on a truck, whether it's logging equipment or a giant boat or whatever. The truck needs help getting through traffic because it's too big. Yes. So you drive a car and help them through traffic. And we'd also, you know, do the lollipop girl thing, directing traffic on the road for road construction or a wreck scene if there was a truck that had an accident, you'd be out there directing traffic. So my high school experience was doing school, but then also working in the family business. So I felt pretty lucky. And it was also a transition point because I went to school with the same kids from kindergarten through ninth grade, but then going into high school and 10th grade, everything was new because the school I went to didn't have 10, 11, 12 grades. So always make new friends and all that as well. Yeah. Did you date in high school? Did you ever go to a school dance? Yes. Well, it was a funny thing because my parents had a couple of rules. Okay. So when, when it was like depression era, that was about all your entertainment. People would have like a square dance in the barn or everyone would get together and dancing was free. So when everyone would get together and dance, if someone was dancing with someone else and there was a little bit of conflict. Oh my gosh, Henry was dancing with Lola and Lola's married to Bert. You know, it was scandalous. So my parents said, you know, nothing good comes from this. So there was like no dancing. So no dancing. No dancing. You had like a Kevin Bacon upbringing, like no dancing. Dancing was, it was, yeah. Okay. That's very interesting. I mean, I understand, I understand the perspective where I understand. Yeah, they had seen a lot of scandal come from dancing and intermingling and they decided we don't want to bring the scandal into our family. Yeah. So I respected that because instead of just saying no, it was like, here's the reason. And the other thing I wasn't allowed to do is go to drive in movies. So I, I've been to drive in movies, obviously, but when I was in my teens, like 15, 16, it was like no driving. No. And now I would give anything to find a good drive in theater because the nostalgia is so wonderful. But yeah, other than that, it was, you know, pretty much, you know, pretty much having friends and getting together during the summer and doing schoolwork together. And I felt very blessed because I had kind of across the board friends. So I didn't just hang out with the cool girls or the sporty guys or the nerdy science club. I was really privileged to be friends pretty much with everybody. So I was really lucky. I love that. It's actually very much how I feel about my friend groups. From the time I was very young in elementary school, junior high and high school, there was no one, there was like no particular group of people where I didn't have at least one friend in that group where there wasn't somebody I could say like, hi, how are you and knew about them. And I really have pretty much always gotten along with just about everybody. I find everybody fascinating in some way, even if I can't relate to someone in particular for whatever their interests are. I find their story fascinating. And I think that is always the good foundation for curiosity is always a good foundation for friendship. I think that's a really great way to put it. And I think you kind of miss out if you're in this little clan and just keeping to these few people. You miss out on a lot of wonderful people, but I can feel that from you being that inclusive and easy going. And I really respect that. And that's kind of what I want to emulate is being that kind of person where you're approachable and easy to get along with. So whether people were having a great day and we're having fun or someone was having some kind of problem and wanted to talk about it, it was really nice to be able to just really communicate with everybody, which was great. I love the music that you love listening to all year long on your favorite I Heart radio station and the I Heart radio app. Hosted by Ludacris, Icon Award recipient John Mellencamp, Innovator Award recipient Miley Cyrus, with performances by Alex Warren, Kailani, Lainey Wilson, Ludacris, Ray, TLC, Salt and Pepper, and Invoke. Plus Taylor Swift makes her first award show appearance this year. And the best Taylor is happy for real, deep in its floor. Also Gold Medal Olympian Alyssa Liu, Neo, Nick Colesure Zinger, Nikki Glaser, Sombra, Weiser, and more. Watch live on Fox, Thursday, March 26th, at 8, 7 central. And listen on I Heart radio stations across America and the free I Heart app. Hey there, this is Josh from Stuff You Should Know with a message that could change your life. Stuff You Should Know, ThinkSpring Podcast Playlist is available now. Whether Spring has sprung in your neck of the woods yet or not, the Stuff You Should Know, ThinkSpring playlist will make you want to get your overalls on, get outside, and get your hands in the dirt. You can get the Stuff You Should Know, ThinkSpring playlist on the I Heart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We interrupt your regular programming for a very special announcement. You're too close. Give it here. Watch me, Sam Thompson, Julie Love, Joel Domet, and GK Barry cause absolute mayhem. Starting tonight, the TV shows are fake, but the contestants are real. Sabotage! Fire evacuation please. My trash is falling down. Celebrity Sabotage starts tonight on ITV1 and ITVX. Not tomorrow, not Monday, tonight. It Sounds Like You've Had Many Jobs It sounds like you've had many jobs. You mentioned a lemonade stand, you picked beans, you worked for the family trucking company. Did you always know deep down that what you really wanted to do was work with animals? Did you have a plan B? The wildlife work was kind of a thread through everything that I did. And the family business was something that I aspired to. And you know, a lot of kids will be like, I want to be like my parent. So my mom was a stay-at-home mom, but my dad had all these different jobs. So I was like, maybe I'll join the Navy, maybe I'll be a cop. And he said to me, I really don't want you riding motorcycles on the road because it's just so dangerous. So dangerous, yeah. And that was ironic because driving pilot cars is tremendously dangerous. But I respected, you know, that he said that and just really wanted to buckle down and work in the family business, but also had that passion with working with wildlife and that kind of connection. It made me feel more complete. I felt very empathetic towards these animals. And it made me more empathetic to people as well. And I know when I was 14, I volunteered at a rest home working with older people when rest homes were stereotypical rest homes. So they weren't terribly awesome places. Right. And kind of sad. And I found just that spirit of wanting to kind of lift people up. But I remember meeting this one man. I don't remember his name. I'm so sorry. But he had like thick white hair in a crew cut and he was 103 years old. Wow. And what took me aback by him were his eyes. So he had these piercing blue, beautiful eyes. And I was like, oh my God, there's like a 20 something year old man in there. Like you could see him. You could see the child in him. In the old guy suit, you know? Yes, yes. He was so entertaining and interesting and fun. But when I look back on it, I was 14 and 1978. So he was 103, which would mean he was born in 1875. Oh, is that wild to think about? So that was the kind of respect and appreciation I had for these people because it was like meeting history. So yeah, that connection with people I loved, the connection with wildlife kind of drew through to that. And then I loved work. Love, love, love. Oh, man, you have been a workhorse your entire life. And it's funny you mentioned that your, your dad told you he didn't want you driving motorcycles or riding motorcycles on the road because it's dangerous. And then you said the pilot car thing being so dangerous when you were talking about the pilot car and even being the lollipop girls on the road. Yes. Does that seem like two of the most dangerous jobs one can have? I felt lucky. I know when I turned 18 because then I could drive at work. And one of my first jobs was taking a truck from Eugene, Oregon to Los Angeles. And it's a 16 hour drive, but it's longer than that with a truck, right? Yeah, of course. And dad said, okay, here's, here's your deal. And I remember thinking, I don't know if I can do this because I've just turned 18, but my dad thinks I can do it. So I must be able to do it. So I always appreciated that he just believed I could do stuff. So I took off on that trip and keep in mind, you know, no cell phones. If you wanted to call it was a pay phone. And, and it was a huge trip and I was back in about five days, I think it was. I was, I was home and everything went great. But you're absolutely right. I mean, being on the road all the time is, is tricky and has its own risks. But I felt that really set me up for life to have someone saying, I believe you can do this. Yes. Yes. So, so wonderful. So when do you create Cougar country? Cougar country. Yes. Intriguing how the old Cougar has so many meanings. I know. Yes. Why don't you tell us about Cougar country? I, I thought that was important to do because when I turned, when I turned 18, I had the opportunity to get. I had enough money saved to get a sports car or put a down payment on a house. And so I, in talking to my dad, I went ahead and put a down payment on a house. And back then when you went to get a house, it's probably still the same. I don't know, but you go to get a house and the bank says, all right, Miss Terry, is your husband or dad with you? Right. Yeah. So, so I needed my dad to help me because the bank was like, you're a young woman and that's tricky. So he helped me by co-signing on the bank loan and I put the money down and got the house. So now I have the house and then I took over the family business when I was 20. So now I have a career, right? Yeah. Got the house, got the career. Then when I was about, I was about Robert's age. I was about 21, 22. I was going through the paper. Because again, that was scrolling. Yes, that's how we scroll. Yes. And I was looking through the pet section and they had like exotic pets in the paper. And I saw that there was a cougar for sale and I thought, how can you sell a cougar? This is really weird. So I went to investigate and it was up near Portland. So it was a couple hours drive. And this guy had kind of a farm and he had the wildest things like he had capuchin monkeys and black bears and cougars and all this weird stuff. Black bears? Yeah, for sale. So I'm talking to him about it and he said that he got cougar cubs from a movie that was called Benji the hunted. I believe it's what it was called. And Benji's this little dog that goes on adventures and there was a cougar with cubs and I hope I'm remembering this correctly. Something happened, I think to the mother and the cubs that they got separated. So Benji the dog was going to get the family back together. Okay. So as the movie filmed, the baby cougars got bigger. So they kept replacing them with new things. Baby cougars. Right. So then after the movie was over, they have all these young cougars and they put them into the pet trade. So this guy buys them and then he was selling this cougar cub for $1300. So I look at it and it's got it's in a little pen and the furs rubbed off its forehead and it's got big joints like the beginnings of rickets and it's not happy. So it was just sitting there quietly. And I thought $1300 is about all the money I've got. So I called the United States Department of Agriculture and reported what was going on. And I remember I talked to Dr. Overton who said to me, my jurisdiction is the 96,000 square miles of Oregon plus Northern California. So he said the reality is by the time I check on this guy to see if he's doing the right thing, it'll probably be six months. And I said in six months this cougar is going to be dead. Like nobody takes it, it'll be dead. So I learned all about what I needed to do. I worked on my backyard to have everything to code to take on a cougar. I brought the cougar cub home. I paid for it. I got it home and it's just the sweetest little thing you could possibly imagine. Right. And it was this lovey, snugly, yummy, sweet thing until it started feeling better. And then this little cougar cub named Molina tried really hard to learn hunting skills on meat. So she would sneak up on me and pounce and all these hilarious things. So the great big area in my backyard became where she lived. And then I'd bring her into the house or go out with her. And in pretty short order, I was thinking I have to justify having a cougar because this is nuts. Yeah. And so I worked with a woman who did educational work with cats. So she would go into schools and teach kids about cheetahs or servals or all these different animals. And she taught me how to work with Molina so that I could take her into these environments safely and teach kids about wildlife. So then I began finding out wild animals were needing help. And that was a much better gig because I could take them in and let them go. Right. So my special sauce seemed to be predatory mammals. So I started doing that rescue work and I'd taken about 300 animals a year. I had about 100 volunteers who worked with me to help raise things and take care of things and work with me. And because I again, I had a career, I could afford it. So I was able to help people pay for the care of these animals and let them go again. So I have my cougar to teach people. I have this hobby of helping wildlife and cougar country was born. So it was any of the animals in cougar country, but I primarily worked with predatory mammals. So that's cougars, bears, bobcats, raccoons, foxes, those kind of animals. Oh my goodness. How big was your backyard? It was big. I had a two car garage and I only had one car. So I decked out part of that for animals like critical care. And then I had areas throughout my yard was just like the doctor do little's yard, you know? So I'd have areas for different animals. And as they got well, I'd let them go. And it was just such a passion for me. And I remember one day I got a knock on the door and it was Jehovah's Witness. And they said to me, can we talk to you about Jehovah? And I was raised Christian so I could verse to verse them. I was like, yes, I know the Bible back to front, baby. But you want to come here in, I'll get you a cup of tea and maybe you can help me clean out animal enclosures and feed baby animals. And they were like, sure. So they would help me. And sometimes they'd come see me and it would be pouring rain. And pretty soon they stopped coming. So I thought I'm the one that the Jehovah's Witnesses eventually shut the door on. Which I thought was pretty funny. They're like, no, lady, you're too much. You know, we're good. We're not going back there. Thanks for having us. We're good. Wow. That's a great story. Thank you for sharing that with me. It was pretty funny. Hey there, this is Josh from Stuff You Should Know with a message that could change your life. The Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring podcast playlist is available now. Whether Spring has sprung in your neck of the woods yet or not, the Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring playlist will make you want to get your overalls on, get outside and get your hands in the dirt. You can get the Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring playlist on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. An engineer around the corner, whenever you need, British gas have over 6,000 on route at speed. Fixing lights that won't light or have started to blink, a pipe with a leak and that weird smell under the sink. If your boilers could put and your blue fur needs a rinse, we've got your back to stop that cold water wince. You don't need to be a customer. We can help you too. Taking care of things is what British gas do. TSNC supplies 6,000 engineers correct as of Jan 2026. What did you do to relax? Did you ever relax? It seems to me like you're not much of the relaxing type, but most people who have a thriving career and many hobbies and stay as busy as you have your entire life feel the need to blow off some steam, take a vacation. Where does Terry Irwin vacation? What do you do to relax? Well, what I used to love to do from the age of about 19 is I was able to save enough money to be able to go to Florida once a year. So in that construction related business, January is very slow. Not much road construction is going on. All the trucking industry slows down and I could slip away for a week or so. So I would always go to Florida and I loved the wildlife there. So, you know, whether I was in Key West or the Tortugas or, you know, Miami or Silver Springs with the Manatees, it was just a wonderland and so different than Oregon because it's always warm. It's just a different climate. So for me, it was so very special to be able to afford to do that every year and I just enjoyed going. And then the irony as my life went forward was that my life would be so involved with wildlife and working seven days a week and my daughter marrying someone from Florida. Like, it's just so bizarre how it seemed like my whole young life was leading me towards what my whole life was going to be, you know? Yes. And it was allowing that to happen. Well, then this is a perfect segue into the most beautiful fateful trip in 1991 when you go to Australia and you find yourself at Steve Irwin's Family Wildlife Park and you see him and his crocodile demonstration as a woman who has cougar country going on back home and Dr. Doolittle's backyard. Is this like the minute you see him? Is this just like a dream come true? Well, it almost wasn't is what's amazing. So I was over there with friends and we had gone to a barbeque near where Steve's Wildlife Park was and we'd had a late night the night before and I was really tired so while we're driving back to Brisbane, I was kind of dozing in the back seat and the person driving the car said, there's like a little wildlife park here, do you want to see it? And I go, you know, sometimes those little wildlife parks are just really depressing. I don't know if I want to see a bunch of sad snakes and jars and I don't know. And he's like, oh, that's cool. I just thought I'd check because I knew you liked wildlife. And then I go, you know, I'm never going to be here again. So I'll just duck in and have a look. So he pulls over abruptly because we were almost past it and I paid my six dollars and went in and it was very small, like two acres, but very clean. And the kangaroos were just wandering around, which was pretty new to me because in America, any zoological facility, everything is enclosed, safely enclosed. Yeah. And so there's kangaroos and there's beautiful birds and the snakes all looked happy in nice areas and that it was pretty tiny. And there was a guy doing a demonstration with crocodiles. So I went to watch and it was awesome. And he said, at 12 o'clock, I'm doing another demonstration in the environmental park. And it's another six dollars, but it's an hour long thing. And I thought, I'm a cashed up tourist. So I paid my extra six dollars and there were probably 12 of us who ended up going in to see this next demonstration. And the environmental park is all these different crocodiles, little ones, alligators, freshwater crocodiles and the big salties. And he's telling us about everything and how if a crocodile is in danger of being shot for coming close to people, he would go out and rescue them and move them to another river system or bring them back to his Queensland reptile and fauna park. And I was like, wow, that's really incredible. So he's explaining that with the smaller crocodiles, maybe seven foot or smaller, he would go out at night with his boat and he'd idle the boat in the dark and he'd have a spotlight and then he'd pick up the red eye shine of the crocodile. And as he idled in on it, and it was living near a boat ramp, he knew he had to move it. So he'd get close, he'd slow down the boat and start drifting. And then as he got close enough, he'd drop the spotlight and spear into the water, grab the crock around the base of the neck, go down to the bottom of the river, tuck its tail between his legs, shoot up from the bottom, flick it into the boat, flip into the boat, and then he'd have the crocodile. And I was thinking, who on earth is this man? Exactly. Because he was telling the story the way I would tell and then I was at the grocery store and I saw a sale on bread. Did you hear what you just said, sir? And he was so passionate about wildlife, but the other thing that impressed me was that old saying where when you walk into the bar, you don't have to ask who the tiger keeper is. Because he's gonna tell you. He wasn't like that at all. It wasn't about him. Look how cool I am. It was about his deep love and respect for these animals. He said they're beautiful mothers. They're affectionate to each other. They're just amazing. So I thought, I'm gonna say hi to this guy. And I think that's about all I said was hi. And he said, where are you from? And I go Oregon. And he said, what's your favorite animal? And I said, my favorite animal's a cougar. And he said, why? And I thought, no one ever asked me why. They just go, oh, a cougar. That's cool. Yeah. And I go, well, I think it's because a cougar can kill something bigger than themselves just with their mouth. And he looked at me all dreamy and he said, that's why I love crocodiles. It was so cute. What? And I was like, boom, look what we've got in common. Things that kill with their teeth. Wow. We both love predatory animals who can kill with their mouths. I do want you to know this story seems very much like you should write the script for a hallmark movie. It has all the makings of a very cute meat cute with a little bit of, you know, a little bit of predatory animal behavior in there, which is just adorable. So what happens? Like you make this connection for both of you. He looked at you all dreamy. You're like, oh my gosh, we have so much in common. Do you just cancel your flight home? What do you do when you fall in love with a crocodile hunter abroad? Yeah, that was wild. We ended up talking all afternoon. So this demonstration was over about one o'clock and the park closed at four. And at four o'clock, I could hear my friends honking the horn. Yeah, they're like, get out of there. I know. But you know, sometimes when you meet someone in your kind of hubba hubba with Steve, I wanted to build a campfire and hear stories. Right. Like, it wasn't like, whoa, I love this incredibly sexy man. Right. I really like this guy. Yeah. I don't know if that makes sense, but oh yes, I totally understand level. Yes. And I just want to talk to him forever. It was so amazing. And so I, he, we exchange phone numbers and he goes, you know, if you're ever here again, let me know. And I thought, sure, next time I'm in Australia, I'll give you a call. Yeah. So I left and then my friends were going scuba diving and God gave me this gift of believing that people don't belong underwater. So I said, I'm out. I'm not going scuba diving. So then I had a weekend free. So I called Steve and I said, I have a weekend free. And he said, come back up to the zoo. I knew his parents lived in a house at the reptile park. Yeah. So I figure he can't kill me. Right. You know, his parents are there. Right. So I go back up and he very gentlemanly put me up at the hotel just down the road and then would come and pick me up in the morning and bring me down to the park. And I just worked for two days. I was just raking up kangaroo poo, prepping food for the animals. Oh, my gosh. It was heaven. I had the best two days ever. And then he said, you know, this has been really great. And I said, I'm going home, but, you know, maybe our paths will cross again. So I went home and I didn't hear anything. And a week passed. Then I didn't hear anything and two weeks passed. And then I didn't hear anything. And by week three, I thought, I'm guessing I misunderstood what this was. Yes. There must have been a misunderstanding. Yeah. So I was like, well, I really had a lot of fun and it was wonderful. But I don't know why I'm like this, but I was like, I'm not calling him. So I want to talk to me. You have to call me. Four weeks pass and he calls and he said, I'm going to be there in 10 days. Oh. And I thought, that's very presumptuous. How do you know I haven't met someone else? Exactly. It's been four whole weeks. Four weeks. I mean, this yummy snack. Exactly. I, of course, hadn't because I was pretty hung up on him. Yeah. You're pretty much in love at this point. And then poor Steve, without knowing what he was doing, came to Oregon when it was Thanksgiving. So he got to meet the whole family. Oh my gosh. What did your family think of Steve when they met him? They, well, they were thought it was just amazing because I think this still happens in Thanksgiving, but it kind of is segregated. For example, a lot of times most of the guys will go watch football and most of the women chat and do dishes or whatever in the kitchen. Right. So Steve would go talk football with the guys and then clear the table and do dishes with all the women as comfortably. So he was perfect and everyone loved him. But my sister said later, she said she thought, darn it, because we're never going to see him again because he lives in Australia. Right. And I, by this time I've paid off my house. I have a successful company. I have a wildlife rehabilitation organization and I'm working nights and weekends at an emergency veterinary hospital. So I've become a veterinary technician as well. And so my dance card's full. Exactly. You guys both have thriving active lives on two different continents. Yeah. But that was kind of the family's reaction was we love him, but logistically we don't know how this is going to work. Right. So it was great. Well, eight months later, you guys were married. So how does the proposal happen? What is the conversation between the two of you about how are we going to blend our lives? Yeah, interesting. So this was end of November. So I went to see him again in January. I was like, forget Florida. So I went back over to Australia and had a wonderful time. So he took me out on rivers and showed me crocodile nests and showed me wildlife and we went camping and he was a terrific cook and very chivalrous. So he found a shallow area and we're just kind of like in shorts and tank top singlet kind of thing and just kind of splashing off in the water. And he kept edging his way in front of me. And I'd be like, I'm just trying to splash off here and he kept edging his way in front of me. And I'm like, what's going on? And he said, I don't think there's any crocodiles nearby, but just in case I want to be between you and the river. So I'm like, on one hand, that's very chivalrous. And on the other hand, what the heck do I do if a crocodile eats you? Right. Exactly. Then what do I do? Yeah. I don't even know how we got here. But he was just delightful. So I'm about to go home and we'd been doing some work that day because lightning hit a tree in the wildlife park and killed the tree. So we had to take it down before it's out. Yeah, clear the tree. Yeah. And we worked all day taking this tree down. And by the end of the day, I'm just sweaty and I've got leaves in my hair and we're having a cool drink and we're sitting there. And he says, so what do you reckon? Do you want to get married? Oh. And I was like, maybe I misunderstood. Did he get what? Did he just say get married? What? Because he's not on one knee. There's no ring. There's no rose petals. There's no candles lit. We're sweaty. I'm gross. What is happening? So I then think of all the reasons I can't move to Australia. Right. And then I said, yes. So that happened. And he said, why don't you live here until you can kind of organize a wedding through your family and we'll go get married in Oregon. And I said, I won't live with you till we're married. Right. And I gotta go back. He said, how soon can you get a wedding together? So I thought that was pretty cool. So we, he proposed in February and we were married in June and it was really beautiful. My grandmother's church, it was really beautiful. Terrifying for him, but beautiful. Now, what does his family think? Does his family come with you guys to Oregon for the wedding? What does his family think of this union and your connection? Well, I think to their credit, they were very accepting of me, but I think I was a lot. You know, like I'm the person who has been coordinating things in my own life. Right. You know, I've got 125 staff. I've got all these volunteers. I'm used to kind of being the coordinator. And I can remember my dad saying to me, when you get married and move to Australia, remember two things. Everyone gets homesick. Do not be ashamed. He said, in World War II, when he was in the Navy on board the ship, he said grown men are crying for their mothers because everyone gets homesick. And he said, the other thing is, remember, your way is the different way. When you get there, they will have a way they do things. Right. So he was very gentle with me. Yes. Don't just get there and completely coordinate everything differently, which is lovely. I also can relate to that. As a woman who has likes to be in control because I know what I'm doing. I'm self-assured. I have many businesses. I run a household. I have children. You can be a lot for some people. Some people are not used to coming in and taking charge. So I can understand that while they were very accepting and loving of you, you were also a lot. Yeah, because you're a director in life and work and literally a film director. Yes. So you get that. So 11 of them came over to Australia and Steve and I kind of put our funds together to fly them over. And it was beautiful and really special. And when the services were over and we're going, you know, we're getting ready to show everybody Oregon and then go on our honeymoon. That's the time when we got the message from Australia that there was a crocodile someone was trying to shoot because it was near a boat ramp and they were afraid of it. So Steve had done a little bit of filming like with ads. Yeah. So there was like a forex beer ad and I'm not sponsoring or endorsing forex beer. Okay. Yeah. The beer was like being thrown from one friend to another and it goes over the water and the croc comes up and tries to grab the guy who's thrown the beer. Okay. And the guy catches the beer above the crocodile and is like, whoa, the crocs are bad today or whatever. And that was Steve's hand, of course, and Steve's crocodile in the ad. So he had done some of that filming. So the guy he filmed ads with said, do you want to film rescuing this crocodile instead of just rescuing it? Right. So he said to me, do you want to do a planned honeymoon or go film this croc rescue? And I was like, croc rescue? Oh my gosh. So I spent my honeymoon with six men in a film crew and working on rescuing this crocodile, which was wild. Before you said croc rescue, where was the other place you guys might have gone on your honeymoon? We were looking at Indonesia. So we were talking about Indonesia because Steve was a surfer and surfed there a lot. And back then this would have been 33 years ago. Back then it was still very remote and beautiful and isolated and quiet. Yeah. So now it's pretty touristy. It was very, very special. So of course the honeymoon would have included surfing and I don't surf. Right. You're not going underwater. You're not going underwater. That gift God gave you, you're not doing it. God said, you don't have gills. Yeah, I get it. I get it. Tuesday, March 26th live on Fox. Watch as we honor the biggest stars from all genres of music that you loved listening to all year long on your favorite I Heart radio station and the I Heart radio app. Hosted by Ludacris. Icon Award recipient John Mellencamp. Innovator Award recipient Miley Cyrus. With performances by Alex Warren, Kailani, Lainey Wilson, Ludacris, Ray, TLC, Salt and Pepper and Invoke. Plus Taylor Swift makes her first award show appearance this year. Also Gold Medal Olympian Alyssa Liu, Neo, Nick Coleslaw, Nicky Glazer, Sombra, Weiser and more. Watch live on Fox Thursday, March 26th. Hey there, this is Josh from Stuff You Should Know with a message that could change your life. The Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring podcast playlist is available now. Whether Spring has sprung in your neck of the woods yet or not, the Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring playlist will make you want to get your overalls on, get outside and get your hands in the dirt. You can get the Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring playlist on the I Heart radio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. When things don't go to plan, you need car insurance you can rely on. That's why at NFU Mutual we pay out on 99% of car insurance claims with no quibble. And if you're hit by an outfault, uninsured driver, your no claims discount is protected. Conditions apply. We do this so you can enjoy the more important things. It's no wonder we're a witch best buyer for car insurance 2026. For quality car insurance you can rely on, search NFU Mutual today. Attention! Attention! Rail travelers, platform paces, window gazers and armrest negotiators. Have you heard? The big rail fare freeze is here. Rail fares have been frozen across England until March 2027 on standard class tickets, including off-peak, anytime and season tickets. For more information visit nationalrail.co.uk slash fares-free. Season season exclusions apply. I also want to talk to you about some others who experienced being a teenager in very close proximity to you and that would be Bindi and Robert. I obviously got to know Robert a little bit this past couple of months through Dancing with the Stars and my husband and I have said and we've told it to both of you many times, if our sons turn out to be even a fraction of the man that Robert is, we will feel successful in our job as parents. So, now that I have said all that, I'd love to just hear a story about how one time even Robert was just a woman. He was just a wild or awful teenager because he seems too good to be true. So, was there ever a moment for either Bindi or Robert where you thought, well, this is just so out of your character? Like a moment where you thought, what are you doing or have they always been as perfect as they seem? It's so funny because I've been very blessed with kids who were way more fun than I was when I was a kid and cooler. And I remember in high school, I never got asked to the prom, but I went to the prom because I took tickets. So, I was the girl who checked everyone's invite as they came through the door with their date. So, yeah, you want to talk being a goofy high school kid. I never got asked to the prom, but my kids have been far more engaging and interesting and wonderful. And that's what you hope for, you know, these terrific kids. But my dynamic with my kids was so much different than most people's. So, Steve and I were married for six years before we had kids. And we were those funny people that said when we have kids, our lives won't change. Right. They're just going to fit into our life. We're not changing anything for them. So, then we end up working with a film crew who are totally cool if we bring the baby. So, Bindi was being born. And then Steve just was shooting with a film crew and I called him and I said, I'm on my way to the hospital. So, he just brought the film crew. Come with me, yeah. Right, like as you would, right? Of course. She was six days old when we were filming sea turtles at Fraser Island in Queensland. And so, I just brought her along and the runner on the show was with her in the vehicle on the beach. And then when she needed to breastfeed, I would just step away and feed her and then come back and film again. And it worked. And she loved it. And you know, when they're that little, they just kind of stay and eat. So, it was pretty. But as time went on and we had Robert, we were still with the same crew. And so, we're still doing the same thing and they would travel with us. Bindi was three years old and my sister came with us when we launched our movie. We traveled for six weeks. We were in four countries and we did like 1200 interviews. I think the publicist said the only one who beats you was Tom Cruise. So, I felt in good company. So, we did so many interviews and Bindi was a little trooper. I mean, she had my sister and she just loved the next room, the next car, the next flight. And it was an adventure. Yeah. And Robert was the same. So, they went with us everywhere. And I think that you get what you get. They were not good sleepers, but they were good travelers. They were very easy and compliant and fun and liked being with us. They never said when we are, when are we going to go home? You know, they just loved it. So, whether we were in a tent on the Nullabor Plains in South Australia or we were in Clarence House in Ireland promoting a movie, they loved it. Right. They were happy to be there. Right. So, the little ups and downs, the most difficult Robert ever got, he was so cranky for two days. He was just impossible. Like the whole sum total of the terrible twos hit him in two days. It was ridiculous. And then I was putting him to bed and I'm trying to soothe him to sleep because neither kid was a sleeper. And as I'm stroking his hair, I discovered the biggest tick he's ever seen. Like fully engorged paralysis tick on his head. Oh my gosh. This isn't just pull the tick off and carry on. This is a doctor visit because paralysis ticks will, they'll kill dogs. They're really bad for you. And I hadn't noticed it until it got big, but it completely changed his humor, his being a compliant little human. And I was like, what is happening? What is going on? Oh my gosh. So then now you're like, okay, sorry, I've been trying to soothe you to sleep. Get up. We got to go see a doctor. Or be short with you. Yeah. Well, you have to sit up and eat dinner. You know, I felt so bad, but he was fine. And I felt like a terrible parent. But I mean, how do you know? The only thing that changed was his temperament. And to Robert's credit, he was a, that was the only time he was a real challenge, you know, other than that, he was a really good kid. We were on a flight when he was teething. We're on a flight back from America. And so there's a lot of walking around. Oh yeah. Not settling. And I'd been sitting next to this lovely man having huge conversations. And then when everybody went to sleep, I kept walking Robert and he just wasn't settling. And I said to the man at the end of the flight, I'm so sorry if Robert disturbed you at all. I tried to keep him quiet. And he said, no, no, he was fine. When you'd go Robert, it's okay. It would kind of startle me because my name's Robert. And I'm like, yep, yep, that's cool. Nice meeting you. See ya. A few days later, my PA said to me, I just want to say, I'm sorry. I just want to let you know that Robert Downey Jr. is coming to the zoo because he spent time with you on a plane. And I go, I didn't spend time with Robert. Oh, wait a minute. Oh, I flew for 14 hours with Robert Downey Jr. And was so tired, I didn't know who he was. Even after he said, because my name is Robert. And he was talking about the filming work he was doing. And I'm like, yeah, I do filming work too. With the baby. Oh my gosh, that's hilarious. So then he comes to the zoo. Do you recognize him immediately? Like, oh yeah. He came in and we caught up with him and he and Steve hit it off. And we've not caught up often, but we've remained in touch over the years. But I thought that was such a funny story. So yes, Robert wasn't being naughty, but it was often hard to get him settled. Yeah. Well, knowing how much energy Robert has, it seems like, I don't, you know, I'm not sure Robert has a settled when dancing with the stars ended. And he was on the jet immediately to Good Morning America. And then from Good Morning America, you guys were back on a plane to go to South Africa. So through London, I just thought, wow, the energy you, you all have. He would, he, you know, credit to him. And it's nice because we both have our own gigs in South Africa. So while he's filming, I'm able to do, we've got a couple of conservation projects down here. So that's wonderful. But also a very long stint in South Africa. So I bet you guys have been there now for quite a while. Yeah. And my last question for, for this episode, because I have one other little thing I want to do with you involving hearing some other, some other people's stories about what they were like as kids. I know it's been thrown around there and Robert seems to be one of the culprits pushing it. Would you ever try and continue the dancing with the stars or when dynasty and jump onto that ballroom floor? Would that be something you would ever consider? Oh, absolutely. I'm going to adopt another child and get them on the show. I think it should continue. So adoption is definitely in my future because I found what I'm good at. I am really good at being the sidekick coach for the dancing journey. So, you know, so proud of Bindi. She was, but you know, interestingly, Bindi's journey and Robert's journey were so similar because Bindi would be invited to see her. Bindi would be invited to stuff and she'd say, I'm just here to dance. I'm not here to go to Disneyland or to do this thing. And Robert found that as well, that you really have to commit if you're, and I'm sure you found that too. It was just all day, every day, seven days a week. Yes. And an epic dedication to the craft. So what I do it, I would never say never. Okay. I would have to say I'm in the same boat that Bindi and Robert were having no dance experience to the point where my parents were like dancing is out when I was a teenager invited to dances. So I literally never danced either. I'm telling you, I think you have just like Bindi and just like Robert, you have exactly what it takes to, because you have no one seems to be more dedicated than you. No one seems to be more hardworking than you. You have a shining personality. You've raised two champions who have already danced. So I just know if anyone could do it and do it well, it would be you. So I would love to see it. I love to hear never say never. I think that's very smart. And you know, dancing with the stars was such a life changing experience for me. And it wasn't just the dancing being able to be around Robert and the other cast and in turn you and your family has become a true highlight of that journey for me. And I am in awe of what you have built and the grace in which you have done it, the legacy you are leaving for you, your family, you have cultivated all of that. So you are a hero to me. You are a hero to many people around the world. And I thank you so much for talking with me and letting me call you a friend. Thank you because I feel that way. I feel that when we all met you, we were all fans and now we're all friends, which is really nice. So now what we have to do is this incredible podcast with another Erwin family member from Australia. So I want to see you at the Crocodile Hunter Lodge and Australia Zoo. And as Disney says, be my guest. Oh my gosh. Okay, I have to tell you though, I'm very afraid of spiders. Nothing in the world sounds more fun than going and visiting you guys and being your guest and doing the podcast from there. What am I going to do about the spiders? I hear there's like 2000 species of giant spiders in Australia. I'm very scared of them. Okay, that's what Robert said. Robert said the exact same thing. Your family is incredible. And I listen, when Robert said it, I was like, I believe you. You can. You can believe me because when Robert was a tiny little boy, he asked me to please always protect him from pirates and a pirate has never gotten him. So I am telling you, no spider. Great. You know what? If that worked for you and pirates and Robert, of course it will work for me and the spiders. I very much appreciate it. And I'm going to take you up on it. I would love that because it's a sincere offer. Let me know when you're coming and we will have the most magical adventure. I promise. Thank you so much. A joy to talk to you as always. And I look forward to the next time. Thank you. I really appreciate having me on. Of course.