Bindi Irwin, Steve Irwin & Terri Irwin

Becoming the Crocodile Hunter was more than Steve Irwin‘s career path—it was his destiny. 

“I was born into it,” he told Yahoo! Australia in 2002. “Didn’t have a choice.”

From a young age, Steve joined his herpetologist dad Bob Irwin and wildlife rehabilitator mom Lyn Irwin on expeditions and helped at their reptile park in Australia’s Queensland. He then captured and relocated crocodiles as part of a public safety and conservation effort by the government.

In 1991, Steve took over his parents’ reptile park. It was there he met wife Terri Irwin while she was visiting from Oregon. After they wed in 1992, they began filming the docuseries The Crocodile Hunter.

Steve and Terri continued their passion of spreading conservation education through their TV shows and park, which they grew into the Australia Zoo, and became parents to daughter Bindi Irwin and son Robert Irwin.

Steve died on September 4, 2006, after a stingray’s barb entered his heart while he was filming in the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44. However, his legacy lives on through his work and family.

“The proudest thing I’ve achieved personally,” he said in a video shared by Australia Zoo, “is my children.”