Bindi Irwin’s tribute to her dad on the anniversary of his death is making us feel all the feels

Steve Irwin’s beautiful, animal-loving spirit lives on in his daughter Bindi, who shows that with a meaningful tribute to her father she posted on Instagram a few days ago.

Here’s why. On Sunday, it was Father’s Day in Australia. Days earlier, it was the 9th anniversary of The Crocodile Hunter’s devastating death. While we can only imagine how hard this time must have been for Bindi, she chose to do something meaningful: she celebrated her father’s life in an Instagram post that will remind you to tell your parents and parental figures just how much you love them.

Here’s a throwback pic of father and daughter that Bindi posted earlier this year:

In her newest Instagram post for her father, she says, “Thinking about home today. Father’s Day is today in Australia and everyone is celebrating at Australia Zoo. It’s such a special time of year, I hope everyone who comes to the zoo today is able to enjoy it with our gorgeous animals.”

It warms our hearts to know that Bindi is able to connect to her father through her love of animals. We know that she makes him proud.

She continues on to write: “No matter where I am in the world, this day means such a lot to me. My heart forever lives @AustraliaZoo – just like Dad’s always did.” Okay, now we’re full-on crying.

After her father was attacked by a stingray and passed away in 2006, the Irwin family continued his legacy by managing the Australia Zoo. At the time, Bindi was only eight years old, but she knew how much this zoo meant to her father. In keeping his significant efforts alive, Bindi and her family haven’t only shown how much they love Steve, they’ve also been helping the natural world that we live in. In other words, this Instagram post is just one of the many ways in which Bindi has honored her father.

Thanks to Bindi, we’ve been reminded that it’s incredibly important to celebrate the ones that we love.

[Images via Instagram]