Robert Irwin shares how DWTS brought him closer to late dad Steve Irwin

Steve Irwin‘s legacy is safe in the hands of his children.

On Tuesday, the famed conservationist and Crocodile Hunter host’s son, Robert Irwin, won Dancing With the Stars season 34, earning a second Mirrorball trophy for the family (his sister Bindi won season 21).

In a victory lap interview on Wednesday’s Good Morning America, Irwin reflected on the role the popular reality competition series now plays in carrying on his father’s esteemed work.

“I feel like everything that has led me to this moment, growing up in Australia Zoo,” the 21-year-old began, flanked by his pro partner, Witney Carson, and the four runner-up couples. “Continuing his legacy has now meant we’re able to write our own story, and I’m able to create my own legacy. I hope in everything I do to make him proud, and I’m just so grateful that I got to live out this dream, and to do so with my new best mate,” he said, gesturing to a beaming Carson.

The competition in season 34 was fierce. DWTS cohost Alfonso Ribeiro noted shortly before announcing Irwin’s victory that he, Carson, and runner-ups Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy received the most votes that have ever been cast for a group of finalists, and the margin between them was slimmer than ever.

But Irwin and Carson’s win was far from surprising, given their stellar track record with the judges and huge following on social media. Despite the tests it put his mind and body through, Irwin described the competition as “very healing. I feel like Witney created choreography and created these stories that I could tell, and it kind of just tapped into emotion and vulnerability within my own journey through grief that I think also got to sort of resonate, and help others, which was really important.”

Carson added to GMA cohosts Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, and Michael Strahan that working each week to translate the Irwin family legacy into dance put “a lot of pressure” on her.

“But our motto throughout the whole season was, ‘Pressure is a privilege.’ So we just really tried to do the best that we possibly could, and make sure that it was true to us and authentically us. We just wanted to match that every single week, and that’s exactly what we did. So I’m super proud of everything we’ve done.”

Russell Crowe says late pal Steve Irwin would be ‘in awe of his son’ Robert Irwin on ‘DWTS’

‘DWTS’ crowns its winner in dramatic season 34 finale

Steve Irwin died after being fatally wounded by a stingray in 2006, when Robert was only two years old.

Robert paid tribute to his trailblazing dad on multiple occasions throughout season 34, including a tear-jerking rendition of a foxtrot that Bindi danced a decade ago in the same ballroom. At the end of the number, Robert was joined by his sister on stage. Bindi and Carson proceeded to wrap their arms around each other’s shoulders while kneeling before an image of Steve Irwin projected on the ground before them.