Bindi Irwin has opened up about how she handled the death of her renowned conservationist father Steve Irwin, who passed away back in September 2006.
The 23-year-old mom-of-one recounted a poignant diary entry she wrote after Irwin died following fatal injuries sustained by a stingray when she was just eight years old.
Following his tragic passing, Bindi, now a zookeeper, has carried on his inspirational work with wildlife.
Now, in a recent episode of the What About Death? podcast, Bindi got candid about how she handled her grief at such a tender age.
Bindi said: "For us losing dad is probably the hardest thing we’ve ever gone through and our grief walks beside us every day…
"I remember thinking, this emotion is going to shape me; this is going to be a real turning point on how I continue on with the rest of my life and I want to be strong for my family.
"I made this decision and I was so young … I remember thinking: 'I’m going to stand up and I’m going to be strong and I’m going to take all of my emotion and channel it into something good'."
She added: "That’s why I decided to stand up and speak at dad’s memorial service. This is the thing I can do to help and reach out to people."
The TV personality then recalled how she expressed her feelings about her dad's passing in a diary.
"One day – I wrote it in my journal, actually – I was like, 'This is it; I am choosing not to wallow in sadness anymore'," she said. "I am choosing to find the strength that dad had and continue on."
Bindi went on to describe what it was like mourning her father's death in the spotlight, and referred to the aftermath of the tragedy as "just unbelievable".
This comes after the young mother paid tribute to Irwin on the annual Steve Irwin Day with an Instagram throwback in November.
She wrote alongside an image of her as a child along with her late father: "Your legacy will live on forever. I love you for even longer. November 15, Steve Irwin Day."
Bindi's brother, Robert, shared a post of his own.
He penned alongside an image of him and his sister as kids, again alongside their late father: "Today is #SteveIrwinDay. Thinking a lot about my Dad today and the impact that he made on our planet, inspiring an entire generation. I also think about what a truly amazing dad he was.
"Through a lifetime captured on camera and stories from my family and those who knew him best, I’m able to remember the special times with dad.
"I still look up to him every day and while I miss him so much, it means the world to me and my family that each year we can have a day for the world to celebrate what he stood for."