Robert Irwin Honors Mom Terri on ‘Dancing with the Stars’
On Tuesday, October 14, Dancing with the Stars delivered one of its most emotional nights to date, thanks to 21-year-old contestant Robert Irwin. He and his dance partner Witney Carson took the floor for Dedication Night, performing a moving contemporary routine to Phil Collins’ “You’ll Be in My Heart,” in tribute to his mother Terri Irwin. The dance left judges, fellow contestants, and fans in tears.
A Fitting Tribute
Ahead of stepping on stage, Robert opened up to Witney in his confessional about why he chose his mom for Dedication Night:
I’ve never been able to capture the feeling of gratitude I feel for her. … At every milestone, when I just wish … that my dad was there, she was there, and that was enough.
Robert also acknowledged the weight of living without his father, Steve Irwin, who died in 2006:
I struggle a lot with losing dad … She always made sure my dad was present in our lives. I wanted to know how proud my dad would be of her.
During rehearsals, Terri joined them and quipped, “I’m here to cry.” She later shared, “After we lost Steve, it was difficult to smile again … so for him to say, ‘You lifted me up,’ honestly … because of them, I could get up every morning … so every day I’m a proud mama.”
The Moment That Stole the Show
When the lights dimmed and Robert and Witney began, their emotions were evident. As the dance closed, Terri surprised him by joining onstage in a powerful moment. His sister Bindi Irwin dashed from the audience to hug him before the judges’ critique.
As critiques began, the tears flowed:
Bruno Tonioli, visibly moved, said, “[Your father is] looking at you, kid, and he's smiling. You gave us all your heart and soul. … This was the true expression of everlasting love.”
Carrie Ann Inaba added, “If I could have had kids, I would like him to be like Robert.”
Derek Hough — who once danced with Bindi — fought back emotion as he addressed Terri and Robert: “You become such an amazing man and the world needs the Irwin family.”
Guest judge Kym Johnson praised Terri’s strength and expressed her admiration: “You’re just an incredible woman.”
Robert later told People that the week leading up to this performance had been “tough,” citing the emotional challenge of revisiting grief publicly.
Adding to the emotional burden: earlier in the week, he revealed that his dog Stella had been diagnosed with cancer. While Stella was recovering from surgery, Robert admitted it was hard to be away from her while competing.
He framed the dance not only as a tribute to his mom but as a gesture to all those carrying hidden grief: “I want this to be a dance for anyone who’s lost someone … This dance has … been this culmination of so much emotion … I hope this dance can help people because it’s certainly helped me.”
Episode Highlights: What Else Went Down
Here are other memorable moments from the episode:
Danielle Fishel’s emotional surprise. Boy Meets World star Danielle Fishel dedicated her dance to her former TV mentor Bill Daniels, who made a surprise appearance in the audience. The 98-year-old actor, best known as Mr. Feeny, received a standing ovation as Fishel teared up mid-performance and blew him a kiss, calling it “one of the most special moments of my life.”
No elimination announced. Even after the performances and votes, DWTS stunned viewers by declaring that no couple would be sent home this week.
Headline score leaders. Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach took the top score with 36/40 for their dedication dance. Robert and Witney scored 35/40, securing their place near the top of the leaderboard.
Andy Richter’s tribute. The comedian performed a salsa in honor of his daughter but struggled, landing near the bottom of the rankings with a score of 24/40.
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