Robert Irwin, Derek Hough and More Break Down in Tears on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ After Robert’s Dance for Mom Terri

Robert Irwin is honoring his mom — and moving the Dancing with the Stars ballroom to tears.

The conservationist and current DWTS contestant, 21, performed an emotional dance to Phil Collins’ “You’ll Be in My Heart” with partner Witney Carson as part of the show’s Oct. 14 Dedication Night.

Before he and Witney hit the stage, he opened up to her about choosing his mother Terri Irwin, 61, for Dedication night. “I’ve never been able to capture the feeling of gratitude I feel for her,” he said, adding, “At every milestone, when I just wish, when I just wish that my dad was there, she was she was there, and that was enough.” (Renowned conservationist and TV personality Steve Irwin died at age 44 in 2006 after being pierced by a stingray barb while filming.)

“I struggle a lot with losing dad a lot,” Robert said during his confessional. “She always made sure my dad was present in our lives. I wanted to know how proud my dad would be of her.”

During the rehearsals, Terri joined in and joked, “I’m here to cry.” Adding, “After we lost Steve, it was difficult to smile again, for quite while. So for him to say, ‘You lifted me up,’ honestly, it was the opposite. Because of them, I could get up every morning, so every day I’m a proud mama.”

After Robert and Witney hit the stage, with an appearance from Terri as the dance number came to a close, his sister, Bindi, 27, ran to hug him before he received the scores from the judges.

As Robert, Witney, and Terri received their critiques, Robert was visibly moved. Judge Bruno Tonioli tearfully, said, “[Your father is] looking at you, kid, and he’s smiling. You gave us all of your heart and soul. All I can say is this was the true expression of everlasting love.”

Carrie Ann Inaba added, “I’ve never had kids, but Terri, I have to say, if I could have had kids, I would like him to be like Robert.”

Derek Hough, who was partnered with Bindi on DWTS, then said through his own tears, “The love I have for you family. I just have so much love you guys. I’m so proud of you. I really am. Just you become such amazing man and the world needs the Irwin family.”

Guest judge and former DWTS champion Kym Johnson then remarked on the Irwin family’s love for one another, telling Terri, “You’re just an incredible woman.” Adding, “But I’m gonna come talk to you later and get some tips on how you raise such great kids.”

Robert updated fans throughout the week on his preparation for the performance, revealing in an Oct. 12 TikTok video that it had been a “tough week” for him. “We’ve been working hard and I’ve been sort of tapping into emotions that I haven’t really gotten to share before — certainly not publicly,” Robert said. “I’ve been thinking a lot about my dad, I’ve been thinking a lot about the highs and the lows, the grief, the way my mom has helped me navigate that.”

On top of honoring his family, Robert revealed on social media that he also found out the “devastating” news that his dog, Stella, has cancer. The dog, he said, was “found to have a mass that ended up being cancerous.”

While its been “such a stressful time,” Robert said navigating his emotions has been “really beautiful.”

“This dance has just been this culmination of so much emotion, and I just want this to be a point of vulnerability. I want this to be a dance not only for my mom, but for all of the moms out there that don’t get the recognition that they deserve. I want this to be a dance for anyone who’s lost someone.”

He added, “I’m excited for you to see this. I hope this dance can help people because it’s certainly helped me.”