Bindi Irwin Got A Tattoo That Says "Graceful Warrior" In Her Dad's Handwriting

Bindi Irwin found a truly beautiful way to not only pay tribute to her 10-month-old daughter Grace with husband Chandler Powell, but also her late dad, Steve Irwin. The young mom recently got a tattoo on her left forearm, and the meaning behind it delves into what she referred to as the three “most important things in my life: family, purpose and unconditional love.”

The Australia Zoo conservationist and her husband Powell welcomed daughter Grace Warrior in March 2021, the first baby for the couple and first grandchild for Sue Irwin and her late husband, “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin. Bindi’s dad Steve died in 2006 after being fatally stung by a stingray and his family have worked hard to keep his memory alive ever since. Perhaps especially now that little Grace has arrived.

On Thursday, the proud mom shared a photo on Instagram of Grace looking at her arm covered in a new tattoo that read “graceful warrior” alongside a sketch of an alligator and a small circle meant to represent her wedding ring. “The words I spoke to our daughter as I held her for the first time in my arms were, ‘My graceful warrior,’” Irwin explained in her post. “That’s how her name was born. This is my dad’s handwriting to keep him with me, always.”

She went on to note that the alligator on her arm was a special one. “Our dear alligator, Daisy, is next to these words to represent our conservation work as Wildlife Warriors,” she wrote. “And my beautiful wedding ring in bloom. Validation every day of the three most important things in my life: family, purpose and unconditional love.”

The timing of the tattoo was also important to Irwin, who has been breastfeeding her daughter for the past 10 months. “Since Grace’s breastfeeding journey ended, now felt like the perfect time for this empowering artwork,” she shared.

Irwin’s social media followers were touched by her thoughtful tattoo, writing messages like, “What a beautiful way to always keep those memories with you! Your father would be so incredibly proud of the woman you continuously shape yourself to be, and the gorgeous little angel you’re raising,” and “Breastfeeding is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. So not easy mama! Congratulations for making it so far, YOU'RE the warrior here!”

Losing her father at such a young age could not have been easy, but Bindi Irwin has found a way to keep him close to her forever. Every day she can look down at his writing, along with a tribute to her daughter, and know she has love in her life.