Dingo Dinkelman’s daughter writes emotional tribute to late father

The teenage daughter of conservationist Graham “Dingo” Dinkelman mourned her father’s death with a touching tribute.

Known as “South Africa’s Steve Irwin”, the conservationist and content creator died on October 26 at the age of 44 after spending a month in hospital.

His wife Kirsty Dinkelman spoke about this. Instagram that her husband was in an induced coma in the intensive care unit after being bitten by a snake.

Taylor Dinkelman, 14, posted an emotional statement on Instagram on Oct. 31, along with a series of photos with her dad and family photos featuring her mom and her siblings Maddie, 12, and Rex, 9.

In the caption, she wrote a long message addressed to her late father, writing: “This is still a shock and I never thought I’d be writing a post like this.”

“Dad, you were my hero and I couldn’t have asked for a better father,” she continued. “Your kindness, laughter and passion are just a few of the many things that made you so special. You brightened up any room you walked into and brought smiles to everyone’s faces no matter what you did or said.”

Taylor said that with her father, “everything became easier,” recalling how every morning she knew he would “be there and sing a song” with her little brother.

“So not hearing this when I go downstairs is like a punch in the gut,” she wrote. “You are everywhere I look, everywhere I go. I know that you are now in heaven with your father, and one day I will join you there and hear the words that someone has been waiting for you, and I will see you.”

Taylor’s tribute continued as she emphasized how much she loves her father, saying she “don’t know how to say it.”

“You are the best father in the world, and I will try to raise my children the way you raised me, I will forever tell your stories and adventures,” she added. “I will share your heritage and dreams, passions and loves with the world.”

Kirsty Dinkelman originally shared her husband’s health news on Instagram September 30.

In a statement posted on her husband’s account, she said that a week ago he was “bitten by a poisonous snake” and suffered anaphylactic shock due to an allergy to snake venom. He was rushed to hospital and was on a ventilator in the intensive care unit in an induced coma.

Less than two weeks later, she posted an update on his health on October 9. on social networks. At the time, she said he remained in the intensive care unit but continued to “fight as hard as he could.”

After his death, she wrote a lengthy statement in several Instagram posts, remembering his work with animals and his love of fatherhood.

“Anyone who met Dingo was immediately captivated by his extraordinary personality,” Kirsty Dinkelman. wrote. “He was a fearless conservationist with an infectious enthusiasm that made others just want to be around him. His passion was matched only by his incredible sense of humor, which, as all who knew him can attest, made every day with Dingo unforgettable.”