Shark attack victim leaves behind a legacy of faith

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Emilia Perry, widow of Tamayo Perry, was surrounded by friends Tuesday after she held a news conference at a friend’s house adjacent to Ehukai Beach on the North Shore.

1 /2 CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Emilia Perry, widow of Tamayo Perry, was surrounded by friends Tuesday after she held a news conference at a friend’s house adjacent to Ehukai Beach on the North Shore.

COURTESY BRENT BIELMANN Tamayo Perry, above, doing what he loved : surfing.

2 /2 COURTESY BRENT BIELMANN Tamayo Perry, above, doing what he loved : surfing.

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Emilia Perry, widow of Tamayo Perry, was surrounded by friends Tuesday after she held a news conference at a friend’s house adjacent to Ehukai Beach on the North Shore.

COURTESY BRENT BIELMANN Tamayo Perry, above, doing what he loved : surfing.

RELATED PHOTO GALLERY Tamayo Perry, the Pipeline big-wave surfer who after he was bitten by a shark while surfing during a break from his city lifeguarding shift, leaves behind a legacy of faith.

“When he was younger and wanted to be a pro surfer, he was like, ‘I want to win so I can praise the Lord and get that word out there, ’” Tamayo’s wife, Emilia Perry, said Tuesday during a news conference at a friend’s house on the North Shore. “That just keeps me going, knowing that he’s in a better place. He knew he was going to go to heaven one day.”

Tamayo Perry, 49, was surfing in the waters off Goat Island, also known as Mokuauia, at the Malaekahana State Recreation Area near Laie. The Honolulu Police Department, Honolulu Fire Department and Honolulu Ocean Safety responded to a 911 call about Perry just before 1 p.m. Sunday.

“A caller told dispatchers the man’s body appeared to have suffered more than one shark bite, ” Emergency Medical Serv ­ices and Ocean Safety spokesperson Shayne Enright said.

Perry was pronounced dead at the scene.

“As surfers, we’re risk takers. It’s one of those things that you head into the playing field knowing, ” said Emilia Perry, a professional bodyboarder herself.

After a news conference Sunday, Enright said that officials “cannot recall the last fatal shark bite in this area.”

Tamayo Perry was a professional surfer for over 15 years and won the Pipeline Master trials in 1999, one year after he met his future wife surfing at that beach—an activity she described as “their passion.”

“He was so loving and he had time for everybody. He’s just such a genuine human, and he’d always say what’s on his mind, ” Emilia Perry said. “He was my surf buddy. He touched everybody. He was such a good guy.”

Perry said her husband would always encourage her to hit the waves herself, and that there were many times she would ask him to come back in from the deep surf.

“He’d be like, ‘Oh man, I nearly died today, ’ and I’d be like, ‘You always nearly die.’ He’d be like, ‘Oh, I got a little prayer out right before, and I’m alive, ’ and he’d come in, ” Perry said. “I’ve had lots of mini heart attacks for a long time, but I just couldn’t believe that this was it.”

Tamayo Perry became a City and County of Honolulu lifeguard in 2016, when he began working with District 3 Lt. Jesse King.

“He was an amazing waterman, a legendary household name here at Pipeline, in the lineup and in the tower, ” King said. “There’s no way we’re going to be able to fill this void. He leaves a huge footprint.”

Emilia Perry said her husband “loved to save lives.”

“He was always on it. He liked to make people laugh, and he was always watching the water, ” she said. “He was passionate about his job.”

King said he considered Tamayo Perry not just a co-worker, but also a close friend.

“He was a beacon of light everywhere, when on the job, off the job. He knew everybody, everybody knew him. He loved everybody and it was reciprocated. He was always positive, always upbeat, full of passion, ” King said. “We are all inspired by his love for the ocean and his love for people and his exceptional performance as a lifeguard and a lifesaver.”

In a statement Sunday, Mayor Rick Blangiardi said 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 said. “As we grieve this unimaginable loss, we are reminded of the inherent risks faced by our lifeguards daily, and we extend our deepest gratitude for their service.”

The husband and wife also operated a surf school based in Kahuku called the Oahu Surfing Experience. Perry was also featured in multiple films and TV shows, including “Blue Crush, ” “Pirates of the Caribbean 4, ” “Lost ” and “Hawaii Five-0.” He was also featured in ad campaigns for Nissan Xterra that were aired during the NFL playoffs and the Winter Olympics, and a commercial for Coca-Cola.

A GoFundMe page created Monday titled “Supporting Tamayo Perry’s Legacy ” had raised over $60, 000 as of Tuesday.

Emilia Perry said that seeing the outpouring of love and support following her husband’s death is “mind-blowing.”

“He’s left such a great legacy, and it’s mind-blowing to see how much, ” she said. “So many people have reached out to me, and it’s just great.”

She said that she will miss many things with her husband but that the support of so many has helped her to keep going—along with words of encouragement directly from Tamayo Perry himself.

“I always remember when he was coaching me in certain contests and stuff, and he’d be like, ‘Heat by heat, wave by wave, ’” Emilia Perry said. “Now I have that in my head for getting through every day and every hour : ‘Heat by heat, wave by wave.’”

A paddle-out at Pipeline in Tamayo Perry’s honor is planned for July 14. More information has yet to be decided.