Tamayo Perry, whose death was announced earlier this week, could reportedly “smell” sharks in the water and “felt their presence”.
The surf-instructor and actor, known for his roles in Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Lost, was pronounced dead after being brought to the shore with several wounds resembling shark bites. Perry had been surfing at Malaekahana Beach off the northern coast of Oahu, Hawaii when he was attacked.
It has since emerged that the surf-instructor was reportedly aware of the presence of sharks in the water, and of the danger they posed.
Back in 2015, Perry shared his thoughts on Facebook about the shark attack on surfer Mick Fanning.
“The incident with Mick at J-Bay is a great indication that Jesus mercy is more then sufficient [sic],” wrote Perry.
“Regardless, sharks freak me out and I’m glad the Good Lord had Mick’s back today. Only the Lord can say when it’s your time.”
Later in June 2019, Perry made a post suggesting that he could sense sharks in the water, writing: “Can people smell sharks around??? I don’t know if it’s my imagination but I swear I can smell when they’re around.”
Now, following his death, a close friend of Perry’s has come forward to The Daily Beast claiming that the actor/surfer was known for sensing sharks in the water, saying he “always alluded to the fact that he has seen them and felt their presence.”
In a recent post on the Instagram page of his and his wife’s surfing school, Oahu Surfing Experience, a caption read: “We all want to be the hero of our own story, one of the redeeming characteristics of humanity is our desire to follow our convictions always and without fear. Few of us are able to truly be that hero. Tamayo Perry was is and will be forever.”
The caption continued: “Tragic though his passing may be, he left this world doing what he loved where he loved to do it.
“We find strength in knowing he is in heaven with our Lord Jesus Christ, trading barrels at Pipeline with his friends that have gone before him.”