A well-known Hawaii lifeguard who was killed in a shark attack while surfing off Oahu含羞草研究社檚 North Shore was a former professional surfer with acting credits to his name, including a role in one of the 含羞草研究社淧irates of the Caribbean含羞草研究社� movies.
Tamayo Perry, 49, was killed Sunday near Goat Island, Shayne Enright of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department said in a statement.
It含羞草研究社檚 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.
含羞草研究社淏ut in terms of a high-level surfer that people around the world know and respected, he含羞草研究社檚 the first that I含羞草研究社檓 aware of,含羞草研究社� 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 business含羞草研究社� website, he surfed professionally for over 15 years, highlighted by winning the Pipeline Master trials in 1999.
The Pipeline off Oahu含羞草研究社檚 North Shore is famous for creating a tube that surfers ride for as long as they can. But it含羞草研究社檚 also the most deadly wave in the world, killing some of the world含羞草研究社檚 best surfers, Buckley said. Surfing it became Perry含羞草研究社檚 specialty, he said.
Surfers either focus on competitions or what they can do outside of those meets.
Perry 含羞草研究社渨as never like somebody that was going to contend for a world title,含羞草研究社� Buckley said. 含羞草研究社淗e was more of the type to just kind of hunt down big, crazy waves and have that documented.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淔or a while, he was one of the top, top, top people out there,含羞草研究社� Buckley added. 含羞草研究社滺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.含羞草研究社�
Perry said on his website that he took to heart lessons learned from a near-fatal accident while surfing the Pipeline years ago.
含羞草研究社淭he lessons I含羞草研究社檝e taken from that event have inspired me to my goal of instilling proper surf etiquette and safety into those whom I teach,含羞草研究社� 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.
含羞草研究社淎 few years later, I picked up a surfboard, we got married and there was no turning back,含羞草研究社� she wrote. 含羞草研究社淭he vast amounts of ocean knowledge that Tamayo has ingrained in me over the years is priceless.含羞草研究社�
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.
Perry含羞草研究社檚 other passion was acting. He had several small roles credited to him on the film website including playing a buccaneer in 含羞草研究社淧irates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides含羞草研究社� in 2011. That same year, he appeared in an episode of the television series 含羞草研究社淗awaii Five-0.含羞草研究社� He was also in a couple of national commercials.
含羞草研究社淲hen I含羞草研究社檓 not acting, I含羞草研究社檓 still quite a character, so there含羞草研究社檚 always a ton of fun to be had,含羞草研究社� 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.
含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 about five of us there, and we含羞草研究社檝e all called each other and just said, 含羞草研究社榃e just are so thankful that we had that night with him,含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫 he said. 含羞草研究社淓verybody is just shaken to the core. I mean, it含羞草研究社檚 a gnarly thing to have happen no matter who it is, but to find out it was Tamayo, it含羞草研究社檚 crazy, man.含羞草研究社�
Honolulu Ocean Safety and the city含羞草研究社檚 fire, police and emergency medical services departments responded to Malaekahana Beach on Oahu含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社渁 lifeguard loved by all.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淭amayo含羞草研究社檚 personality was infectious and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more,含羞草研究社� Lager said at a news conference.
含羞草研究社淭amayo was a legendary waterman and highly respected,含羞草研究社� Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said, calling Perry含羞草研究社檚 death 含羞草研究社渁 tragic loss.含羞草研究社�
The was Dec. 30 when a man surfing off Maui was attacked about 150 yards (137 meters) from shore.
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