Tamayo Perry, a highly respected surfer who appeared in Blue Crush and other films, is dead at 49 after an encounter with a shark.
At a press conference on Sunday, as seen below, Perry’s death was confirmed amid news of a shark attack in the North Shore area of Oahu. Shayne Enright, a spokesperson for the Honolulu Emergency Medical Services Division, a sector of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, told reporters that multiple agencies responded to the area just before 1:00 p.m. local time following a 911 call for "a surfer who was fatally injured."
According to Enright, this individual, later identified as 49-year-old Perry, was brought to shore but quickly pronounced dead. Kurt Lager, acting boss of the regional Ocean Safety Department, also spoke at the press conference on Sunday.
"Tamayo Perry was a lifeguard loved by all," Lager told reporters. "He’s well known on the North Shore. He’s a professional surfer known around the world. Tamayo's personality was infectious and as much as people loved him he loved everyone else more. Our condolences go out to Tamayo's family."
View this video on YouTube
As a surfer, Perry saw globally recognized success in the Pipeline Masters Trials and the Billabong Pro Trials and was widely known as one of the greats when it came to Pipeline surfing, specifically.
As an actor, Perry appeared in the North Shore-focused 2002 film Blue Crush and played a buccaneer in the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean entry On Stranger Tides. He also appeared in Charlie’s Angels 2, as well as on episodes of Lost and Hawaii Five-O.
"When I’m not acting, I’m still quite a character, so there’s always a ton of fun to be had," Perry wrote when looking back on his career for the official site for his and his wife Emilia’s Oahu Surfing Experience, which provides surfing lessons for "all ages and skill levels."
Complex has reached out to the Honolulu Emergency Services Department for further comment. This story may be updated.
RIP.
