Renowned surfer and actor Tamayo Perry tragically lost his life in a shark attack off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. Perry, known for his role in the fourth installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, was attacked near Goat Island on Sunday. At the age of 49, Perry was discovered by local surfers off Mālaekahana Beach on Oahu’s North Shore, missing an arm and a leg.
The distressing event was reported by a witness who saw a man suffering from shark-inflicted injuries, according to Honolulu’s emergency services. Perry was enjoying a surfing break from his lifeguard duties when the incident happened just before 1 p.m. local time. Emergency services managed to bring Perry to shore on Malaekahana Beach, where paramedics attempted to revive him.
However, Perry, who was an ocean safety lifeguard and surfing instructor, was declared dead shortly after, officials reported. Following the fatal attack, ocean safety personnel posted shark warnings in the surrounding area.
Kurt Lager, acting Honolulu ocean safety chief, spoke highly of Perry, stating, “He’s well known on the North Shore. He’s a professional surfer known worldwide.” Lager also described Perry’s personality as infectious and emphasized how much he was loved by everyone. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi also paid tribute to Perry, calling his death “a tragic loss.”
Perry, who was working as a lifeguard on the North Shore at the time of his death, began his career with the ocean safety department in 2016. Before that, Perry had roles in several blockbuster films, including “Blue Crush,” “Lost,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” and “Hawaii Five-0.” He also appeared in the 2003 film “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.”
Born in 1975, Perry, a Hawaii native, started surfing at age 12 and quickly made a name for himself as a promising local surfer who had to borrow surfboards due to lack of sponsors. By 1997, Perry had developed a unique tube riding style, drawing inspiration from his favorite old-school Pipeline surfers, Gerry Lopez and Tom Carroll. In 1999, Perry won the Pipeline Masters Trials, an annual surfing competition in Oahu.
Perry’s death is the second fatal shark attack in Oahu this month. The surfer-turned-actor is survived by his wife, Emilia.