Professional surfer, lifeguard, and actor Tamayo Perry, 49, was killed by a shark while surfing near the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii, on Sunday. Perry was a well-known figure in the surfing community, renowned for his big-wave surfing and his role as a lifeguard at some of the world’s most famous surfing spots, including the Banzai Pipeline and Waimea Bay.
Perry gained wider recognition through his appearances in the surfing film “Blue Crush” (2002), “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011), and the TV series “Hawaii Five-0” (2011).
Emergency services were called to assist Perry, who was brought to shore by jet ski. He was pronounced dead on the scene, according to Honolulu Emergency Services Department spokesperson Shayne Enright. “We can confirm that it was one of our own … North Shore lifeguard Tamayo Perry,” said Acting Chief Kurt Lager of Ocean Safety Services. “Tamayo’s personality was infectious. And as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more.”
Tributes poured in from the surfing community and beyond. Kelly Slater, 11-time World Surf League champion, paid tribute on Instagram: “RIP brother. Thank you for your service as a lifeguard on the North Shore, holding it down at Pipeline for decades … You truly lived the life you loved.”
Perry’s wife, Emilia, with whom he ran a surf academy, survives him. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi described Perry as a “legendary waterman.”
Shark encounters are rare, with fatalities even rarer. Since 1828, Oahu has recorded 42 unprovoked shark encounters, second only to Maui among the Hawaiian islands. In 2023, there was an increase in both shark attacks and human fatalities, with climate change being a potential factor. The International Shark Attack File reported 69 unprovoked bites worldwide last year, resulting in 10 deaths.
The National Ocean Service notes that only about a dozen of over 300 shark species have been involved in human attacks, usually due to confusion or curiosity.
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