A lifeguard and surf instructor – who also appeared in movies including “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and “Blue Crush” – died Sunday following an apparent shark attack on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, according to officials.
Tamayo Perry, 49, was an “eight-year veteran of Honolulu Ocean Safety and well-known North Shore waterman,” Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in a statement.
Perry “exemplified bravery, commitment and a deep sense of duty, serving our community with unwavering dedication. His heroic actions and tireless efforts to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors will never be forgotten,” Blangiardi added.
Just before 1 p.m. Sunday, Honolulu Ocean Safety and other emergency responders arrived at a beach after a call came in about a surfer who’d been fatally injured in a shark attack, Honolulu Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Shayne Enright said.
Honolulu Ocean Safety responded by jet ski and brought Perry to shore, where first responders pronounced him dead.
Perry was a lifeguard who was loved by all, a professional surfer known worldwide, and had an “infectious” personality, Honolulu Ocean Safety acting Chief Kurt Lager said.
