This touching moment on Dancing With the Stars showed just how close and emotionally aware Robert Irwin and his partner Witney Carson are.

Before their performance to Phil Collins’ “You’ll Be in My Heart” — a song Robert dedicated to his mother, Terri Irwin — Witney was seen gently covering Robert’s ears. The reason? The show was airing a pre-recorded emotional video package about Robert’s late father, Steve Irwin, and the loss his family endured.

Witney didn’t want Robert to hear it right before performing, because she knew how emotional it would be — and she wanted to help him stay composed and focused. This gesture mirrored something deeply symbolic: back in 2015, Robert’s sister Bindi Irwin had her DWTS partner Derek Hough do the same thing when she danced her own tribute to their dad. Derek covered Bindi’s ears during her emotional intro to help her hold it together before stepping onstage.

Robert explained afterward that the dance was his way of saying thank you to his mom:

“I wanted to dedicate this dance to my mom. She’s my hero. When Dad passed, I was only two, and she somehow found the strength to raise us and continue the legacy they built together. This dance was a gift for her — and for all moms who lift their children through pain.”

He also spoke movingly about how people often talk about his dad’s legacy but forget that it wouldn’t exist without Terri:

“His legacy wouldn’t be here without my mom. When everything stopped, she was the one who said, ‘I’m going to keep this going.’ Everything he lived and died for continues because of her.”

The dance became not only a tribute to his mother, but also a full-circle moment for the Irwin family — echoing Bindi’s emotional journey a decade earlier.

Robert ended the interview with a message of hope:

“We all go through grief. It’s a shadow that walks beside us. But there are always people who lift you up — like my mom did for me. We have to be vulnerable, allow ourselves to feel, but keep moving.”