Tamayo Perry, surfer from “Hawaii Five-0,” dies in shark attack

A lifeguard and professional surfer who grew up on the beaches of Oahu, Hawaii, and made a name for himself as a local celebrity both in the water and through appearances in film and television died Sunday after being attacked by a shark while surfing, authorities said.

Surfer Tamayo Perry, 49, was a lifeguard with Honolulu Ocean Safety and had acting appearances in the fourth “Pirates of the Caribbean” film as well as in the television series “Lost” and “Hawaii Five-0.”

He was pronounced dead after rescuers brought him to shore, Shayne Enright, a spokeswoman for the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, said in a statement.

Mr Perry was surfing near Goat Island off the northeast coast of Oahu when a 911 call came in shortly before 1 p.m. about an apparent fatal shark attack, the statement said.

The 911 caller said the man’s body appeared to have suffered multiple shark bites. Lifeguards brought the body ashore to Malaekahana Beach, where Mr. Perry was pronounced dead, Ms. Enright said.

Mr. Perry won the Pipeline Masters qualifier in 1999, securing a spot in the main event where he defeated the contender for the world title on the world’s most famous waves.

He also competed in the Billabong Pro Teahupoo in Tahiti, where he competed against the likes of Kelly Slater and Andy Irons, finishing in fifth place.

According to the Encyclopedia of Surfing, Mr. Perry developed a unique style of tube riding that was influenced by famous surfers Gerry Lopez and Tom Carroll, who also surfed at Pipeline, a surf spot on Oahu considered one of the best in the world.

Surf magazine Stab described Mr. Perry as “one of the most persistent and dedicated pipeline specialists of all time.”

According to officials, Mr. Perry joined Honolulu Ocean Safety as a lifeguard in 2016.

Mr. Perry also pursued a career in Hollywood, playing himself in the surfing film “Blue Crush” (2002) and had a small role in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011). He was a stuntman on “The Big Bounce” (2004).

“Besides surfing, acting is another big passion of mine,” Perry wrote on his website. “When I’m not acting, I’m still quite the character, so there’s always a lot of fun to be had.”

Mr. Perry was born on Oahu on April 15, 1975 and grew up in a small town east of the North Shore.

His mother, Marlene Louise “Kai” Cunningham of Laie, Hawaii, was a teacher. She died in 2022.

Mr. Perry leaves behind his wife, Emilia Perry, a fellow surfer and bodyboarder who taught Mr. Perry to surf, and two brothers, Mario Gardner and Mark Gardner. A full list of survivors was not immediately available.

“Tamayo Perry was a lifeguard loved by all,” Kurt Lager, deputy chief of the Division of Marine Safety, said at a news conference on Sunday. “Tamayo’s personality was infectious and as much as people liked him, he liked everyone else even more.”

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi described Mr. Perry as a “legendary waterman.”

It was unclear what type of shark had attacked Mr Perry.

According to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, whitetip reef sharks, sandbar sharks, scalloped hammerhead sharks and the occasional tiger shark are the most common shark species found in Hawaii’s waters.

Ocean Safety has issued a shark warning for the area where Mr Perry was killed.

Shark attacks are rare, and there have already been three shark encounters statewide this year, according to the agency’s shark incident list, which shows that nine people, including Mr. Perry, have died in shark attacks in Hawaii since 1995.

A 39-year-old surfer died in December as a result of a shark bite off Maui.