Steve caught 13 crocodiles with his Mum on Mothers Day 1995

Way, way back in February of 1962 I was born right fair smack on my Mum's 20th birthday. Crikey! A birthday present she'll never forget. The umbilical cord of our souls was never cut, to this very day I am connected to my Mum, I cry for her now, I'll cry for her forever.

I know pain, I've been busted up, smashed up, hospitalised. My body has been traumatised and injured for over 40 years, but the pain of losing my Mum is unbearable and relentless. There is no medication - just tears.

I am crying so hard writing this that the paper on which I write is saturated. Oh God this hurts. My daughter Bindi came in one door as you went out another. My son baby Bob will never know you - here is real, fair dinkum pain.

You come to me in my dreams; your spirit is with every wedge tailed eagle; I feel your breath in the westerly wind, but most of all I see your genes in my princess Bindi and my baby boy Bob.

My Mum was killed in a car crash in the year 2000. She was the Mother Theresa of wildlife, a saint, and she will be remembered forever.

I loved my Mum more than anything in the world. She nurtured, protected, and loved me all my life. Lyn Irwin was a true "Australian Pioneer Woman", dedicating her entire life to the rehabilitation and conservation of both the wildlife and her family. Every single day she worked and toiled to save injured and orphaned joeys while maintaining a happy healthy Irwin clan.

Oh gosh! I miss you, Mum. I miss you every minute of every day, and the pain of losing you tears my heart out. But I'll stay strong; I promise you I'll stay strong - for it was you who taught me to be a "Wildlife Warrior".

You worked with me for thirty-eight years to help me become the man I am today. You suckled me, changed my nappy, packed me off to school, blessed me with a career that is my whole life, cried with me when my pet snake died, belted me with your shoe when I was really naughty, fought for me, protected me, pushed me forward when the going got tough, and raised me to fight for the preservation of wildlife until the day I die.

I've adopted your strength, your passion and enthusiasm, your dedication and commitment, and will honour your presence by continuing to push forward as hard and fast as I possibly can, to ensure the survival of our precious wildlife, the wilderness, and in essence, the human race. For without fresh water, trees, animals, and ecosystems, the world we know would not support human life; it would be an ugly, awful place. The spirit of Lynette Leslie Irwin, Lyn Irwin, my Mum, lives forever. Every time you see a sick, injured, orphaned animal, you'll see Lyn. I love you; I miss you, I long to be reunited with you.

Steve

Here's Mum on Dad's first car

Orphaned marsupials were her forte, she passed her knowledge onto everyone who needed it. This is "Honey", oneof her thousands of orphan joey kangaroos she raised.

The Irwin clan. Me, Joy, Mum, Dad and Mandy.

She was such a doting Grandma. Here she is with her first Granddaughter Rebecca, my sister Joy's daughter.

Mum and Dad loved Harriet

Good hairdo Stevo. Welcome to the 70's.

Me & Terri with our parents

Heck you're short Mum. That was always my little joke with her. But by crikey could she work - I nicknamed her "Cyclone Lyn".

Her skill at raising orphan joey koalas was second to none

Isn't she gorgeous