Tamayo Perry's tribute to 'gorgeous wife' weeks before shark attack
Legendary surfer Tamayo Perry wrote a heartfelt tribute to his 'gorgeous wife' just weeks before he was killed in a Hawaii shark attack. Perry, who once appeared in a Pirates of the Caribbean film, was found with an arm and leg missing by local surfers off Mālaekahana Beach on Oahu's North Shore, according to Stab Magazine . Just four weeks before the attack took place, the 49-year-old posted a touching tribute to his wife, Emilia Perry, on Instagram .
His post reads: 'Bad days are always cancelled when you’re hanging out with this beautiful & wonderful mermaid! 'I never want you to forget, that I absolutely love & adore you. Thank you for always pulling me out of my box & instigating & sharing so many wild & crazy adventures with me. 'You are a wild child & it will be an honor to share many more birthdays, surf sessions & journeys around God’s glorious planet together with you, my darling. 'Happy Birthday my gorgeous wife & I hope your day is an absolutely special one for you!'
Emilia was his business partner and together they co-founded the Oahu Surfing Experience in 2016. '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. In the blurb, Perry revealed that he came close to losing his life but was inspired to make the most of each day as a result.
'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.' Tragedy struck Sunday when the surfing icon decided to catch some waves on his lunch break from lifeguard duties.
He was transported to shore by jet ski after lifeguards found him in the water around 1 pm. Paramedics pronounced him dead shortly after, officials said in a news conference. First responders added Perry suffered more than just a shark bite when he was found. Shark warnings were posted in the area by Ocean Safety personnel following the attack.
A 1975 east Oahu native, Perry made his mark as a pro surfer on the North Shore before transitioning to lifeguarding. 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 triumphed at the Pipeline Masters. By 2005, his smile and composure while charging giant waves made him a legend at Pipeline. He landed 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.
Honolulu Ocean Safety Acting Chief Kurt Lager said: 'Tamayo Perry was a lifeguard loved by all, well-known on the North Shore, a professional surfer known worldwide around the world. 'Tamayo’s personality was infectious, and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more. 'Our condolences go out to Tamayo’s family and to the entire lifeguard ohana. We’re asking for some privacy for his family at this time.'
Mayor Rick Blangiardi joined Lager in requesting Perry's family be given time to grieve. He said the community was reeling from a 'tragic loss', adding: 'Tamayo was a legendary waterman and highly respected [...] a great member of our Ocean Safety team; it’s just really hard to imagine, so we just want to pay our respects to our guys.' 'I hope everyone wishes the family the best honors and respects the situation.'
Jason Bitzer, who considered Perry to be like family, wrote a touching tribute on Facebook, sharing: 'The things we have seen! My brother in Christ I love you brah! Tamayo, I won’t get over this until I see you in heaven. 'Tamayo Perry you weren’t my friend you were my brother, the pain we're collectively feeling is immense.' Perry's death marks the second fatal shark attack Oahu has seen this month.
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