Wait a Second, Is Bindi Irwin Engaged?!
Bindi Irwin met Chandler Powell in 2013.
The two began publicly dating in 2015.
They recently celebrated more than five years "of love" together.
Chandler is a former professional wakeboarder and now works at the Australia Zoo.
After Steve Irwin's tragic death in 2006, his family-wife Terri, daughter Bindi, and son Robert-have honored his legacy by continuing his wildlife conservation efforts with the Australia Zoo. It's been more than a decade since Steve passed away, but the family is still struggling with his absence. Bindi even compared her dad's death to "losing a part of [her] heart."
"When you've lost that, you never get it back," she said.
While no one can replace Bindi's late father, she does have another man taking up space in her heart: her boyfriend, Chandler Powell.
Here's everything you need to know about the honorary member of the Irwin family.
How old is Chandler?
Chandler is 22 years old-two years older than girlfriend Bindi, 20. He was born on November 14, 1996.
Where does Chandler live?
Chandler's hometown is Seffner, Florida. After graduating high school, the Southern native moved to Orlando where he attended the University of Central Florida. In 2018, he permanently relocated to Australia to live with the Irwin family.
"I've got my khaki on and I am loving it!" he told People, referencing the move.
What does Chandler do?
After discovering a passion for wakeboarding as a child, Chandler began competing professionally in the sport at age 15. The teen earned a number of sponsorships and traveled the world for competitions but according to his website, he has not competed since 2016.
Chandler currently works at the Australia Zoo in Queensland with Bindi and is an active member of the Wildlife Warriors program, which was founded by Steve and Terri Irwin in 2002.
How did Bindi and Chandler meet?
The young couple first met in 2013, when Chandler was visiting the Australia Zoo with his family.
"It just so happened that Bindi was giving tours that day," he told People. "I'm like, 'Wow she is amazing.'"
The two of them "hit it off right away" and stayed in touch to remain close friends. After exchanging letters for months, Bindi and Chandler reunited in the U.S. and publicly announced their relationship in July 2015.
Are Bindi and Chandler engaged?
Though the pair just celebrated "five and a half years of love" together, they are in no rush to tie the knot.
"We’re really happy at the moment," Chandler said. "We just love traveling together and working in the zoo."
Bindi echoed that sentiment, shutting down recent engagement rumors and promising that she'll be the first to tell fans when Chandler does pop the question.
"We've just been taking it easy and enjoying the ride," she told Us Weekly. "I keep saying to everyone, 'I promise you, if and when we do get engaged and married, I will not keep it a secret.'"
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