‘DWTS’ Season 21 Finale: What Made Bindi Irwin Cry, Hug Derek Hough

Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough on stage at ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars” Live Finale at The Grove on November 24, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.

The performance earned her a ideal score of 30 from all the judges, the same scored she managed in her two other routines for the show’s finale.

One of her most memorable performances on Dancing with the Stars was a heartfelt tribute to her father, Steve Irwin, who passed away 9 years ago.

VIDEO: Bindi and Derek braved injury and illness to deliver a flawless Quickstep.

The teen has been “overwhelmed” by her time on the show, in which she performed various dances including one about the year her dad died, plus a Dirty Dancing-style number.

“Thank you so much for everything”, Bindi said after she won. “I’m this girl from Australia who works with wildlife, and I got to learn how to dance and now I’m here and it’s all thanks, honestly, to Derek for always believing in me and staying strong”, she told ET.

“The most special part of this experience is to really be able to grow and touch on parts of my life that I never thought I would”.

Third place went to Alek Skarlatos and pro partner Lindsay Arnold.

Bindi was competing against Alek Skarlatos and Nick Carter for the trophy.

Twitter lit up with reaction to the touching moment, and Irwin even posted her family’s final image with her dad before his death. She and Hough consistently received high scores and eventually winning the mirror ball trophy. Alongside her partner, Derek Hough, Irwin, 17, became the Season 21 champion.

Throughout her Dancing With the Stars journey, Bindi said her father’s message has be at the forefront. “My life has been changed”, she wrote.

She added, “His strength is what keeps me going”.