Thursday, 7 September 2006

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Terri Irwin's Mom: She's 'Having Hard Time'

The Crododile Hunter's mother-in-law speaks about the family's loss

Terri Irwin, widow of "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, knows "it's going to be hard being the only parent, because you depend on the other person more than you realize, and she's having a hard time with that," her mother, Julia Raines, told TV's Inside Edition.

Steve, 44, who was killed by a stingray's barb on northern Australia's Great Barrier Reef on Monday, and Terri, 42, have two children: daughter Bindi, 8, and son Robert, who turns 3 in December.

"Robert asks, 'Where Daddy?' because he's only 2, but Bindi has been a big help to Terri. She's been her rock," Raines said, according to the New York Post.

Raines, who lives in Eugene, Ore., also said that Terri "told me, 'I'm very concerned about raising the children by myself,' but I know she'll do well."

Meanwhile, Steve Irwin's family has decided to hold a private funeral to be held within a week, and a public memorial service, which will be held within two weeks, with thousands expected, the Associated Press reports.

Irwin's father, Bob, said in a statement on Thursday that the family and "closest friends" would attend the private service, confirming that the "generous government offer" of a state funeral had been turned down.

Bob said his son wouldn't have wanted a formal state funeral because "he's an ordinary guy, and he wants to be remembered as an ordinary bloke."

No details were released about the location for a public memorial, but the Irwin family's 60-acre Australia Zoo and a nearby sports stadium in Brisbane have been mentioned.