A professional lifeguard and pipeline surfer who also appeared in movies like “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and “Blue Crush” died after being attacked by a shark while surfing off of the island of Oahu in Hawaii Sunday afternoon.
Authorities said Honolulu Ocean Safety Services and other emergency services received a call around 1 p.m. in reference to a surfer with multiple shark bites at Mālaekahana Beach on Oahu’s North Shore.
Lifeguards were able to bring him to shore by jetski, where he was later pronounced dead, said Shayne Enright of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department during a news conference.
Shark warnings were posted in the area following the attack.
The man was identified as 49-year-old Tamayo Perry, an 8-year veteran lifeguard with Honolulu Ocean Safety, who was also known worldwide for his professional surfing.
Honolulu Ocean Safety Acting Chief Kurt Lager said Perry was “a lifeguard loved by all.”
In a Facebook post, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi described Perry as a “well-known North Shore waterman” who “exemplified 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.”
Surfline, a surf forecasting and news website based in California, said Perry was born and raised on Oahu and became a well-known name in the surfing community after winning the Pipe Masters Trials in 1999.
He and his wife, Emilia, ran a surf school called Oahu Surfing Experience, according to the school’s website.
Perry was dedicated to teaching safe surfing practices and surf etiquette after suffering a near-fatal head injury from being hit by a surfboard that was abandoned by its rider during a competition, Surfline said.
Perry has a few acting credits under his name on IMDb, including starring in an episode of “Hawaii Five-0” and the movie “The Big Bounce.”
According to Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources, there have been four shark incidents in Hawaii so far this year — including one that was considered a "provoked incident" and one in which a tiger shark bit the tail off of a surfboard but did not injure the surfer. Most of the rare shark attacks that occur in Hawaii involve surfers, and a small percentage are fatal.
