Renowned surfer, actor, and lifeguard Tamayo Perry died after a shark attack while surfing off the Hawaiian coast on Sunday.
Perry, 49, was reportedly attacked on the north shore of Oahu, where he was also an eight-year veteran of Honolulu Ocean Safety, according to CNN.
Just before 1 p.m. on June 23, Honolulu Ocean Safety and emergency services responded to a call about a surfer who suffered from shark bites and was fatally injured. Upon being brought to shore by jet ski, Perry was pronounced dead by authorities, TODAY reported.
Honolulu mayor Rick Blangiardi honored Perry in a statement.
“Tamayo Perry, an eight-year veteran of Ocean Safety and well-known North Shore waterman, exemplified bravery, commitment and a deep sense of duty, serving our community with unwavering dedication,” Blangiardi said. “His heroic actions and tireless efforts to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors will never be forgotten.”
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Honolulu Ocean Safety Acting Chief Kurt Lager said at a news conference “Tamayo Perry was a lifeguard loved by all.”
Perry surfed professionally for over 15 years, according to his business’s website. Perry cited surfing the Pipeline off Oahu’s North Shore as his specialty, competing for years in the Pipeline Master Trials and won in 1999, CBS reported.
As an actor, Perry appeared in films such as “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” “Blue Crush,” and “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” along with TV shows “Hawaii Five-O” and “Lost.”
“When I’m not acting, I’m still quite a character, so there’s always a ton of fun to be had,” Perry said.
Perry was born and raised on the east side of Oahu, according to the Encyclopedia of Surfing. Perry and his wife, Emilia Perry, operated the Oahu Surfing Experience, where they offered surfing lessons.
“The world knew Tamayo as a surfer and an actor, but to those who knew him best, he was a man of deep faith … now taken too soon,” Perry’s wife told ABC. “I feel so upset and devastated. But I also have a weird calmness in my heart knowing that he’s in a better place.”
Perry is survived by his wife. Emilia Perry organized a GoFundMe for those looking to support the Perrys.
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