Bob Irwin has been left “devastated” after granddaughter Bindi made a series of public allegations of years of “mental abuse”, the co-author of his biography says.
Bindi, 22, wrote on Facebook on Sunday that her grandfather had “shown no interest” in spending time with her or her family for years.
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She described the relationship as “abusive” and said it had brought her “enormous pain”.
Amanda French, who co-wrote Bob’s 2016 autobiography The Last Crocodile Hunter, has rebuked Bindi for sharing the allegations publicly.
“He has nursed me through some tough times in my life, and had my back through thick and thin,” French said.
“He is nothing but kind.
“To write that there is psychological abuse from the kindest, most beautiful soul I have ever met, is heartbreaking.”
She added that Bob was “devastated to his core” at reading headlines on Sunday.
“Unbeknownst to you, and what you know, he is suffering deeply for the loss of his family... He has done all he knows how to do and that is bury his head in the sand because that’s how he copes,” French said in a public message to Bindi.
“He’s not someone who is out there about reaching out and communicating, he’s like your Dad was. An introvert and not someone who can navigate people well.
“He loves your Dad, and you guys more than you know. This should be a private matter not written about on Facebook.”
She said his health was not strong enough to comment, and that he had been in-and-out of hospital for the past year.
Almost exactly three years ago, Bob announced he would be retiring from public life.
His charity Bob Irwin Wildlife and Conservation Foundation ceased accepting donations as he began to “feel his age”.
Bindi first made the allegations of neglect on Facebook on Sunday, sharing a Father’s Day post.
She shared photos of her father Steve, husband Chandler and father-in-law Chris, captioning it the “three most incredible fathers in my life”.
When a fan asked about her grandfather, she claimed Bob had “shown no interest” in spending time with her or her family.
“He has returned gifts I’ve sent him after he opened them, he has ignored my correspondence and from the time I was a little girl he has ignored me, preferring to spend time doing anything else rather than being with me,” Bindi wrote on Facebook.
“He has never said a single kind word to me personally.
“It breaks my heart but it is not healthy to engage in an abusive relationship.”
She revealed that her mother Terri still writes to him and sends him Christmas gifts.
However, Bindi says, she receives no response.
“I hope everyone remembers to be kind to one another but most of all care for your own mental health,” she added.
“I have struggled with this relationship my entire life and it brings me enormous pain.”
Previously, reports circulated that Bob Irwin wanted to reconnect with the family and his new great-granddaughter.
New Idea, citing a source, reported: “He misses Bindi and Robert and now he’s having to contend with the fact that she’s a grown, married woman with a baby on the way - a great-granddaughter.”
The report claimed that, despite the “decades-long” silence, he remained hopeful he’d be welcomed back into the fold.
The last public photos of the family together were in 2007.
French said that Bob and Bindi hadn’t had contact with each other since.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMingFodHRwczovLzduZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9lbnRlcnRhaW5tZW50L2JpbmRpLWlyd2luL2JvYi1pcndpbi13YXMtZGV2YXN0YXRlZC10by1oaXMtY29yZS1hdC1yZWFkaW5nLWNsYWltcy1vZi1tZW50YWwtYWJ1c2UtYWlyZWQtYnktYmluZGktYmlvZ3JhcGhlci1zYXlzLWMtMzE3MzQ5M9IBAA?oc=5
2021-06-20 22:56:00Z
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