The former wife of Steve Irwin was recently spotted enjoying herself at a Destination Queensland tourism event.
WATCH: Bindi Irwin reveals she will walk down the aisle with a koala
The 55-year-old was spied happily enjoying the company of a number of male friends, sparking whispers that Terri could finally be warming to the possibility of dating and even marrying again one day.
Terri’s daughter, Bindi, has also reportedly been a catalyst behind this mindset shift.
According to a source, seeing Bindi excitedly prepare for her upcoming wedding to her fiancé, Chandler Powell, 22, has made Terri realise that she is missing out on having a romantic relationship of her own.
A friend close to Terri tells New Idea, “Watching Bindi find happiness and basking in all the joy and excitement of planning her wedding has made her more open to the possibility of settling down again herself – admitting how she feels excited about falling in love again for the first time in 13 years.
“Terri has previously found the prospect of dating again – after not having been on a date in almost 30 years – absolutely terrifying.
“And despite the kids and friends all trying to encourage her to dip her toe back in the dating pool and offering to set her up with friends and matchmake, she’s battled with a deep-rooted fear of getting hurt again and a burdening sense of guilt over Steve,” they added.
According to the source, Terri’s children, Bindi, 21, and Robert, 15, are extremely supportive of her finding someone special in her life again.
“Bindi and Robert have both encouraged her to open herself up to finding her own happy ending which has made her feel more at ease with the thought of marrying again knowing how much her two children want to see her find love again too.
“Bindi’s love story from when they first met to seeing them get engaged and now helping to plan their big day has given Terri her spark back and made her excited at the possibility of a new romance … and having her own dream wedding day again too.”
The move is no doubt a brave one for Terri, as only last year the mother of two admitted she had not dated anyone since Steve tragically passed away 13
years ago.
“I always felt with Steve … if I didn’t marry Steve I wouldn’t have gotten married. I wasn’t dating, I wasn’t even looking. I was 27 years old and thought my life would be work. Then I met Steve and fell in love,” she told comedian and TV presenter Anh Do.
“I just feel that we had that soulmate thing. In the 10 years since, I haven’t dated and thought about it because I’m not afraid to be on my own, it’s just really hard not having Steve … I’m lonely for Steve if that makes sense?
“The meaning of life is unconditional love … if you can achieve that, I think you’re set!”
Since Steve, there have been rumours of a close relationship with Russell Crowe, but the actor himself insists the
pair are nothing more than good friends.
“Terri is one of the greatest women I’ve ever met in my life, without there being implication of intimacy or whatever,” Russell previously said.
And despite them having an extremely close relationship, it appears that Terri has always kept him in the friend zone.
But now that she’s potentially ready to start dating again, who knows what could happen between them?
For more, see this week’s New Idea – out now!
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