Tamayo Perry, a renowned surfer and lifeguard who appeared on the TV show “Hawaii Five-O” and a “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequel, was killed in a shark attack while surfing in Hawaii on Sunday, officials said.
The 49-year-old native Hawaiian was attacked on the north shore of Oahu, where he was an eight-year veteran of the area’s Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in a statement.
“It is with profound sadness that we mourn the loss of one of our incredibly dedicated City and County of Honolulu lifeguards, who tragically lost his life today in an apparent shark attack on the North Shore,” Blangiardi said. “Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and colleagues in Ocean Safety during this incredibly difficult time.
“Tamayo Perry, an eight-year veteran of Ocean Safety and well-known North Shore waterman, exemplified bravery, commitment and a deep sense of duty, serving our community with unwavering dedication,” he continued. “His heroic actions and tireless efforts to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors will never be forgotten.”
Honolulu’s emergency services responded to a call just before 1 p.m. local time on June 23 for a surfer who was “fatally injured” after being attacked by a shark off Goat Island, the Honolulu Emergency Services Department said in a statement.
A caller told dispatch the surfer’s body appeared to have been bitten multiple times. His body was brought ashore via Jet Ski by lifeguards, where EMS paramedics pronounced him dead, officials said. Ocean Safety officials confirmed the surfer was Perry.
“Tamayo Perry was a lifeguard loved by all,” Honolulu Ocean Safety Acting Chief Kurt Lager said at a news conference.
In addition to his renown as a surfer and lifeguard, Perry also appeared in the television shows “Hawaii: Five-O” and “Lost,” as well as the movies “Blue Crush,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.”
“Tragic though his passing may be, he left this world doing what he loved, where he loved to do it,” Perry’s wife, Emilia Perry, a fellow surfer, told NBC News.
Perry was known for his prowess at one of the world’s most famous surf breaks, Pipeline, off Ehukai Beach Park on Oahu’s north shore, according to Surfer magazine.
He was born and raised on the east side of Oahu and was good friends with singer Jack Johnson, according to the Encyclopedia of Surfing.
Perry and his wife ran a surf school on Oahu’s North Shore together.
On Monday, condolences poured in from across the surfing community.
“This one is hard to believe,” surfing legend Kelly Slater wrote. “Your truly lived the life you loved.”
Moana Jones Wong, another surfer from Hawaii who is known as the “Queen of the Pipeline,” posted a message that said, in part, “I will cherish our memories forever.”