Terri Irwin pens emotional message to late husband Steve 35 years after meeting legendary crocodile hunter

Terri Irwin has marked 35 years since the chance encounter that “changed her life” - her first meeting with her late husband and Aussie wildlife legend, Steve Irwin.

The 62-year-old shared a throw back photograph of herself and Steve wrangling a snake alongside a heartfelt message reflecting on the moment the pair met at a very fitting location.

“It was 35 years ago today that I met the most incredible man at a tiny roadside wildlife park in Queensland Australia,” Terri captioned the Instagram post.

The couple met on 6 October, 1991 at what was then known as the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park, a wildlife park founded by Steve’s parents.

The now-iconic attraction was renamed Australia Zoo several years later in 1998 after Steve and Terri took over ownership of the park.

“This chance meeting would change my life forever. I always felt that Steve and I were more than soulmates. Our life’s purpose was even bigger,” Terri added.

“I am truly blessed to live a life so full of love, family, and adventure.”

The romance continued to evolve for many years to come, with the pair marrying in Oregon in June 1992 before they went on to build a global wild-life conservation legacy together.

Their honeymoon quickly turned into the beginning of a TV phenomenon when they joined a film crew documenting an effort to relocate a crocodile in far north Queensland.

The footage ultimately became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter, the famous series that transformed Steve and Terri into international wildlife stars.

They welcomed daughter Bindi in 1998 and son Robert in 2003.

Terri’s emotional anniversary post comes just weeks after the Irwin family marked 20 years since Steve was killed by a stingray.

The croc hunter’s death at the age of 44 on 4 September, 2004 rocked the nation after he was struck by a stingray barb in waters off Queensland.

“After 20 years, grief still walks with me like my shadow,” Terri wrote in an Instagram tribute two decades on.

“With the passing of time I have gained more perspective and understanding. We were together as a family, on our crocodile research expedition, for what was to be our final six weeks together.

“Ours was to be a long and sweet goodbye. Steve spent time with Bindi and Robert building swings and climbing trees.

“We all slowed down. Time slowed down. I believe that all of us, every one of us, gets to say goodbye. We just may not know that we’re saying it. Hold every moment dear with the ones you love. Until we meet again.”