Robert Irwin's dad, Steve Irwin, passed away in a tragic accident at age 44. He was pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming an underwater documentary at the Great Barrier Reef in September 2006. The stingray's barb penetrated his thoracic wall, causing severe trauma that led to his death. Steve Irwin was filming for the documentary series "Ocean's Deadliest" when the accident occurred. He was rushed for medical help after receiving CPR on the boat, but he was pronounced dead shortly after reaching the hospital. This tragic incident happened when Robert was just about two years old. The death shocked fans worldwide and was the only fatal stingray incident captured on video.