Bindi Irwin has shared her heartbreak as her family and friends prepare for Hurricane Milton in her husband Chandler Powell’s native Florida.
Hurricane Milton is making landfall on the west coast of the US state, with onshore winds already reported at more than 120 miles per hour and several inches of rain and a “catastrophic” flooding situation in Tampa Bay.
More than a million people in the region, where the Australian wildlife warrior’s beloved in-laws live, have been left without power in the eye of the storm.
Bindi shared a photo of Tampa during a beautiful sunset from her latest trip to the United States on Thursday, as the world watches and waits for news of the impending catastrophe.
“Our family, friends and everyone who will endure Hurricane Milton know how much we love them and how deeply our hearts break as they prepare for this devastating storm,” he wrote.
Bindi and her American husband Chandler currently live in Queensland, but often travel to Florida to spend time with her parents, Chris and Shannan, and their large family.
The couple first met in November 2013, when former professional wakeboarder Chandler and his family visited Australia Zoo while in town for a championship.
He ended up on a tour offered by the Irwin family and the two hit it off instantly.
Bindi Irwin has shared her heartbreak as her family and friends prepare for Hurricane Milton in her husband Chandler Powell’s hometown of Tampa, Florida.
“Our family, friends and everyone who will endure Hurricane Milton know how much we love them and how deeply our hearts break as they prepare for this devastating storm,” Bindi Irwin wrote.
Chandler was born in Seffner, Florida, and his parents live outside of Tampa and also have another son, Cameron, who is married to his wife Kristin.
The storm is bringing rain and strong winds to Tampa Bay on its steady and potentially catastrophic march toward Florida’s west coast, where officials issued urgent warnings for residents to evacuate.
As thousands of evacuees clogged roads, facing fuel shortages and flight cancellations on Tuesday (AEDT), Tampa’s mayor bluntly warned residents that if they decided to stay: “you’re going to die.”
The greatest danger is posed by the wall of water, known as a storm surge, which Milton will fan. It was initially feared to be 4.57 meters high (fifteen feet), but forecasters now believe the storm surge will reach a record height of 3.6 meters (12 feet).
The entire Irwin clan flew down from the US this time last year to celebrate Thanksgiving in the US.
The National Weather Prediction Service declared a flash flood warning with “substantial threats to life and property” for much of the Tampa area, where Shannan and Chris live, until 10:45 p.m. local time.
Terri and Robert Irwin traveled with Bindi and Chandler to unite both sides of the family.
The entire Irwin clan flew down from the US this time last year to celebrate Thanksgiving in the US.
Chandler Powell was born in Seffner, Florida, and his parents Chris and Shannan (pictured with granddaughter Grace) live outside of Tampa and also have another son, Cameron, who is married to his wife Kristin.
The team spent a day at Walt Disney World where they all posed for a photo in front of the park’s famous Cinderella Castle.
“Visiting Chandler’s amazing family for Thanksgiving and spending time together in the most magical place,” Bindi captioned her photo. ‘Cherishing these memories forever.’
At the moment, women’s day magazine spoke to a source who claimed Florida was definitely “on the table” for the high-profile couple.
‘(Florida) is where (Chandler’s) family is and he misses them. “He gave up everything to be with Bindi,” the source said.
The source close to the family also claimed that Bindi was “craving a change of scenery and a slower pace” and that with brother Robert Irwin taking on the role at Australia Zoo, the time was right.
Bindi and Chandler Irwin are very close to their family and often travel from their home in Queensland, Australia, to Florida in the US to spend time with them.
Chris and Shannan flew from Florida to Australia in 2021 to meet their granddaughter Grace (pictured) for the first time.
Chris and Shannan flew from Florida to Australia in 2021 to meet their granddaughter for the first time.
The reunion coincided with Grace’s first birthday on March 25.
‘Happy first birthday, sweet Grace! And happy second anniversary Bindi and Chandler! “I love you three so much,” his grandfather Chris wrote in a heartfelt post on Instagram.
“The last three weeks have been such a blessing spending time with you.”
Bindi and Chandler tied the knot on March 25, 2020, before welcoming their daughter exactly one year later on their wedding anniversary.
They made the “difficult decision” to have their wedding without guests due to Covid restrictions, meaning Chandler’s parents did not attend.
However, Chandler’s parents were “fully supportive” of his decision to “just get married.”
At the time, Bindi hosted a party for her mother-in-law, Shannan, at the Australia Zoo.
In gushing Instagram posts made on her mother-in-law’s birthday, the young conservationist said she is “grateful for (her) friendship” with them and is “in awe” of Shannan.
‘Happy birthday to my beautiful mother-in-law and father-in-law. “Shannan and Chris, I love you both so much and feel so lucky to have you in my life,” she wrote earlier this year.
Shortly after Grace’s birth, she also spoke about her “dream” of her daughter living in America.
‘When our beautiful daughter was born, I decided I wanted to take her on a great adventure. “Since my husband is from Florida and my mother is from Oregon, I want our daughter to experience as much of America’s wilderness as possible,” Bindi wrote.
‘My dream is to take her to all the national parks in the US before she turns 18. If you have any advice, share it. I can’t wait to make this dream come true…’
In a gushing Instagram post, the young conservationist said she is “grateful for (her) friendship” with her in-laws and “in awe” of Shannan.
