Bindi Irwin’s final dance tribute to her late father absolutely shattered us

Bindi Irwin has blown us away time and time again on this season of Dancing With the Stars. The first part of the finale aired last night, and Bindi definitely sent us off with a powerful, incredible dance dedicated to her late father, Steve Irwin.

This isn’t the first time Bindi and partner Derek Hough honored Steve’s memory. Earlier in the season, they performed a contemporary dance to “Every Breath You Take.” Last night’s performance, set to “Footprints in the Sand,” was no less moving.

Before the performance, Bindi shared that it wasn’t an easy decision to reflect on her father’s legacy.

“I never really talked about everything that I felt when dad passed away, and I never thought I’d revisit that,” Bindi said. “But to have Derek there to say, ‘It’s OK, I’m there for you,’ was something that I was so grateful for. Sometimes during rehearsals it feels like there’s three people in the room. And I do feel like dad is still with me, every day.”

Derek also had a surprise for his dance partner — at the end of the dance, a picture of Steve and Bindi appeared on the screen on stage. Bindi had no idea the picture was going to be used, and broke down in tears.

She wasn’t alone, and the judges were amazed by the touching performance, giving it three perfect tens.

“You do each moment to its fullest potential and each dance to its fullest potential and I am grateful for you,” Carrie Ann said, while Julianne called the performance “beautiful and extraordinary.”

If all that weren’t enough, Bindi took to Instagram last night to again honor the memory of her dad.

Commenters on the post praised her incredible dance tribute, and expressed just how much of an impact her performances throughout the competition have had on viewers. “Like the judges said you touched all of our lives,” wrote one commenter on Instagram. “At home we cried along with everyone there that is how touching it truly was. Thank you for carrying on your father’s legacy.”

Watch the incredibly moving performance below and try not to cry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDwL8rRUAXU

(Images via ABC)