- Tamayo Perry, 49, was found with shark bites off the coast of Oahu
Surfing legend Tamayo Perry, who once appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean, was killed Sunday in a shark attack while surfing off the shores of Oahu.
Perry, 49, had reportedly been found off Mālaekahana Beach on Oahu’s North Shore by local surfers with an arm and a leg missing, according to Stab Magazine.
First responders said he appeared to have suffered ‘more than one possible shark bite.’
Lifeguards then brought Perry to shore by jet ski and paramedics pronounced him dead, officials said in a news conference.
Ocean Safety personnel posted shark warnings in the area following the attack.
Surfing legend Tamayo Perry, 49, died of a shark attack on Sunday
Perry was born in 1975, and raised on the east side of Oahu and made his career on the North Shore, both as a professional surfer and later as a lifeguard.
He started surfing at the age of 12, and by the time he was a teenager, Perry was considered the ‘quiet up-and-coming local boy who had to borrow surf boards because he had no sponsors,’ according to The Encyclopedia of Surfing.
‘By 1997, the wiry goofy-footer had gone a long way to developing a tube riding style, combining traits from Gerry Lopez and Tom Carroll, his two favorite old-school Pipeline surfers,’ it says.
Two years later, Perry would win the Pipeline Masters, and by 2005, Perry was widely regarded as one of Pipelines most prominent surfers – gaining attention for his smile and casual poise as he battled large waves.
His charisma and skills also landed him roles in the 2002 hit Blue Crush, Lost, the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and Hawaii Five-0.
Perry also did commercials for Nissan Xterra, which aired during NFL playoffs and the Winter Olympics, as well as a spot for Coca-Cola, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports.
Perry appeared in the 2002 hit movie Blue Crush
He eventually joined Ocean Safety in 2016, and started to share his passion for surfing by creating the Oahu Surfing Experience with his wife, Emilia.
‘As a devoted waterman, I’ve gained a tremendous amount of knowledge, not only from what I’ve accomplished, but also from what I’ve suffered,’ he wrote in his bio for the surfing school.
‘A number of years ago, while surfing Pipeline on the Extra Large size, I was involved in a near fatal experience,’ he said, without going into specifics.
‘The incident happened all because of someone else’s lack of awareness.
‘The lessons I’ve taken from that event have inspired me to my goal of instilling proper surf etiquette and safety to those whom I teach.’
Honolulu Ocean Safety Acting Chief Kurt Lager said Perry was ‘a lifeguard loved by all.’
‘He’s well known on the North Shore. He’s a professional surfer known worldwide,’ Lager said at the news conference.
‘Tamayo’s personality was infectious and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more.’
‘Tamayo was a legendary waterman and highly respected,’ Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said, calling Perry’s death ‘a tragic loss.’