Authorities have reported that Tamayo Perry, a professional lifeguard for City and County of Honolulu Ocean Safety, as well as an accomplished surfer and occasional actor, has tragically passed away following a fatal shark attack off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. He was 49 years old.
During a news conference streamed by CBS affiliate Hawaii News Now on Sunday, Shayne Enright of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department reported that Perry was surfing near Goat Island when he was attacked on Sunday afternoon.
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Honolulu Ocean Safety and the city’s fire, police, and emergency medical services departments rushed to Mฤlaekahana Beach on Oahu’s North Shore following a distress call just before 1 p.m. The caller reported seeing a surfer who appeared to have been bitten by a shark and had sustained fatal injuries, according to Enright.
Enright reported that Perry was brought to shore by lifeguards on a jet ski and paramedics were on hand to assist with the official declaration of death.
According to Enright, Perry joined the Ocean Safety department in July 2016 and started his career as a lifeguard on the North Shore.
According to Enright, the Ocean Safety team has put up shark warnings in the region after the attack occurred.
During the news conference, Honolulu Ocean Safety Acting Chief Kurt Lager expressed his admiration for Perry, describing him as a lifeguard who was beloved by everyone.
According to Lager, Tamayo is a renowned professional surfer with a strong following on the North Shore and a global reputation. Tamayo’s charm and charisma were captivating, and his love for others was as great as the love he received.
Mayor Rick Blangiardi of Honolulu expressed agreement with these sentiments, referring to Perry as a highly-respected “legendary waterman.” He expressed his deep sorrow for the “tragic loss” of Perry.
According to a report by Surfer Magazine, Perry gained recognition for his unique skills in free surfing the North Shore pipeline, which caught the attention of fellow athletes in Hawaii and beyond in the early 2000s. He subsequently transitioned to Hollywood and appeared in “Blue Crush” in 2002 and the fourth installment of “Pirates of the Caribbean” in 2011. Perry also made an appearance in a 2011 episode of the TV series “Hawaii Five-O.”
According to John Sullivan, who worked alongside Perry on “Hawaii Five-O,” Perry was known as the “nicest guy on Oahu.”
On Monday, CBS News reported that Sullivan said, “He spread positivity wherever he went.”
According to the International Shark Attack File, there was a significant increase in deadly shark attacks in 2023 compared to the previous year. The database, which records shark attacks reported globally, states that there were twice as many incidents. Florida recorded the highest number of shark attacks, although one of the two fatal incidents in the United States occurred in Hawaii.
“He was insanely respected”
Perry, together with his wife Emilia, runs the Oahu Surfing Experience where they provide surfing lessons. The business’ website biography reveals that Perry has over 15 years of professional surfing experience. In fact, he won the Pipeline Master trials in 1999, which is considered a significant achievement in the surfing world.
According to Buckley, the Pipeline off Oahu’s North Shore is renowned for producing a long tube that surfers strive to ride as far as possible. However, it’s also notorious for being the most perilous wave globally, claiming the lives of several renowned surfers. Despite the risks involved, Perry made it his area of expertise, mastering the art of surfing this deadly wave.
Many surfers choose to dedicate themselves to either competing or exploring the sport outside of organized events.
According to the statement, Perry was never considered a potential contender for a world title.
According to Brendan Buckley, editor of Stab Magazine, a website dedicated to surfing, the individual in question had a fondness for chasing after enormous, awe-inspiring waves and was always eager to have them captured on film.
According to Buckley, he was among the most skilled surfers during his time. He managed to ride some of the most insane waves of his era, earning him great respect from surfers around the world. “For a while, he was one of the top, top, top people out there,” Buckley added. His exceptional surfing skills made him highly respected by everyone in the surfing community.
According to his website, Perry learned valuable lessons from a nearly fatal accident he experienced while surfing the Pipeline years ago. He took these lessons to heart and has since applied them in his life.
He wrote that the experience he had during that event had motivated him to pursue his goal of imparting appropriate surfing etiquette and safety measures to his students.
When Emilia was 18, she moved to Hawaii after competing as a professional bodyboarder in western Australia. It was while she was bodyboarding out to a Pipeline wave that she met Tamayo.
She wrote that after a few years, she picked up a surfboard, got married, and never looked back. Tamayo’s extensive knowledge of the ocean that she has acquired over the years has been invaluable to her.
