A lifeguard and surf instructor, who had roles in movies likeย Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tidesย andย Blue Crush,ย died Sunday due to a suspected shark attack on Oahuโs North Shore, Hawaii, officials reported.
Tamayo Perry, 49, was a respected North Shore waterman and had served with Honolulu Ocean Safety for eight years, according to a statement by Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi.
โIt is with profound sadness that we mourn the loss of one of our incredibly dedicated City and County of Honolulu lifeguards, who tragically lost his life today in an apparent shark attack on the North Shore,โ Blangiardi said. โOur hearts go out to his family, friends, and colleagues in Ocean Safety during this incredibly difficult time.โ
Perry โexemplified bravery, commitment and a deep sense of duty, serving our community with unwavering dedication. His heroic actions and tireless efforts to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors will never be forgotten,โ Blangiardi added.
The Honolulu Emergency Services Department issued a statement writing a surfer was โfatally injuredโ in a shark attack off Goat Island on June 23, just before 1 p.m. local time.
The person who called the emergency services reported that the surferโs body had multiple bite wounds.
His body was brought ashore by lifeguards using a Jet Ski, and EMS paramedics declared him dead at the scene, officials said. The surfer was identified as Perry, confirmed by Ocean Safety.
Acting Chief Kurt Lager of Honolulu Ocean Safety stated at a press conference, โTamayo Perry was a lifeguard loved by all.โ
Emilia Perry, a fellow surfer, said of her husband, โTragic though his passing may be, he left this world doing what he loved, where he loved to do it.โ
According to Surfer magazine, Perry was renowned for his expertise at Pipeline, one of the worldโs most famous surf breaks, located off Ehukai Beach Park on Oahuโs north side.
The Encyclopedia of Surfing notes that he was close friends with singer Jack Johnson and was born and raised on Oahuโs east side.
Perry and his spouse ran a surf school together on the North Shore of Oahu.
On Monday, condolences poured in from across the surfing community.
โThis one is hard to believe,โ surfing legend Kelly Slater wrote, โYour truly lived the life you loved.โ
We are so very sorry for this loss. May he rest in peace.
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