A well-known Hawaii lifeguard who was killed in a shark attack while surfing off OahuB次元官网网址檚 North Shore was a former professional surfer with acting credits to his name, including a role in one of the B次元官网网址淧irates of the CaribbeanB次元官网网址� movies.
Tamayo Perry, 49, was killed Sunday near Goat Island, Shayne Enright of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department said in a statement.
ItB次元官网网址檚 not known if Perry was the first professional surfer to be killed in a shark attack, since the definition of a professional in the sport can be blurry, said Brendan Buckley, the editor of Stab Magazine, a website devoted to surfing.
B次元官网网址淏ut in terms of a high-level surfer that people around the world know and respected, heB次元官网网址檚 the first that IB次元官网网址檓 aware of,B次元官网网址� Buckley told The Associated Press Monday from his office in Portugal.
Perry and his wife, Emilia Perry, operated the Oahu Surfing Experience, offering surfing lessons. According to his biography on the businessB次元官网网址� website, he surfed professionally for over 15 years, highlighted by winning the Pipeline Master trials in 1999.
The Pipeline off OahuB次元官网网址檚 North Shore is famous for creating a tube that surfers ride for as long as they can. But itB次元官网网址檚 also the most deadly wave in the world, killing some of the worldB次元官网网址檚 best surfers, Buckley said. Surfing it became PerryB次元官网网址檚 specialty, he said.
Surfers either focus on competitions or what they can do outside of those meets.
Perry B次元官网网址渨as never like somebody that was going to contend for a world title,B次元官网网址� Buckley said. B次元官网网址淗e was more of the type to just kind of hunt down big, crazy waves and have that documented.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淔or a while, he was one of the top, top, top people out there,B次元官网网址� Buckley added. B次元官网网址滺e got some of the craziest waves of his era. He was insanely respected by obviously everybody there and everybody around the world for what he did.B次元官网网址�
Perry said on his website that he took to heart lessons learned from a near-fatal accident while surfing the Pipeline years ago.
B次元官网网址淭he lessons IB次元官网网址檝e taken from that event have inspired me to my goal of instilling proper surf etiquette and safety into those whom I teach,B次元官网网址� he wrote.
Emilia competed as a professional bodyboarder in western Australia before moving to Hawaii when she was 18. She and Tamayo met when she was bodyboarding out to a Pipeline wave.
B次元官网网址淎 few years later, I picked up a surfboard, we got married and there was no turning back,B次元官网网址� she wrote. B次元官网网址淭he vast amounts of ocean knowledge that Tamayo has ingrained in me over the years is priceless.B次元官网网址�
Tamayo Perry began his career as a lifeguard on the North Shore for the City and County of Honolulu Ocean Safety in July 2016, Enright said.
PerryB次元官网网址檚 other passion was acting. He had several small roles credited to him on the film website including playing a buccaneer in B次元官网网址淧irates of the Caribbean: On Stranger TidesB次元官网网址� in 2011. That same year, he appeared in an episode of the television series B次元官网网址淗awaii Five-0.B次元官网网址� He was also in a couple of national commercials.
B次元官网网址淲hen IB次元官网网址檓 not acting, IB次元官网网址檓 still quite a character, so thereB次元官网网址檚 always a ton of fun to be had,B次元官网网址� he said.
Photographer Brian Bielmann had known and worked with Perry for 25 years, shooting the surfer in both Hawaii and Tahiti. Perry and several friends wound up at a party about five months ago, when Bielmann said they had an incredible bonding experience.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 about five of us there, and weB次元官网网址檝e all called each other and just said, B次元官网网址榃e just are so thankful that we had that night with him,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淓verybody is just shaken to the core. I mean, itB次元官网网址檚 a gnarly thing to have happen no matter who it is, but to find out it was Tamayo, itB次元官网网址檚 crazy, man.B次元官网网址�
Honolulu Ocean Safety and the cityB次元官网网址檚 fire, police and emergency medical services departments responded to Malaekahana Beach on OahuB次元官网网址檚 North Shore just before 1 p.m. Sunday after a caller reported seeing a man who appeared to have suffered shark bites, Enright said.
Lifeguards brought Perry to shore, where he was pronounced dead, Enright said.
Ocean Safety personnel posted shark warnings in the area following the attack, Enright said.
Honolulu Ocean Safety Acting Chief Kurt Lager said Perry was B次元官网网址渁 lifeguard loved by all.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭amayoB次元官网网址檚 personality was infectious and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more,B次元官网网址� Lager said at a news conference.
B次元官网网址淭amayo was a legendary waterman and highly respected,B次元官网网址� Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said, calling PerryB次元官网网址檚 death B次元官网网址渁 tragic loss.B次元官网网址�
The was Dec. 30 when a man surfing off Maui was attacked about 150 yards (137 meters) from shore.
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