The family of Mercury Psillakis, who died in a suspected great white shark attack while surfing off Sydney’s Northern Beaches, has released a statement describing him as “impossible not to love” and a man who “placed family above everything else.”
This comes after Psillakis, 48, suffered catastrophic injuries in the attack near Dee Why on Saturday morning. The Department of Primary Industries has confirmed a great white is the likely culprit.
In a message from his wife Maria, daughter Freedom and close relatives, the family remembered him as “a loving, devoted and ridiculously fun husband, father, son, brother and loyal friend.”
“Merc’s energy was extraordinary and magic, his spirit full of fun, and he created joy and happiness in every interaction,” they wrote. “This was a tragic and unavoidable accident.”
A daily surfer, black belt in taekwondo and passionate tree-planter, Psillakis was deeply embedded in his local surfing community. His family called him a “hero” for warning others of the shark before he was fatally struck and thanked the “selfless and courageous” surfers who pulled him from the water.
“Merc is and will always be a hero … we are devastated by this loss, but will forever carry his spirit, energy and joy in our hearts,” the statement said.
The attack has prompted the Minns government to pause a shark net removal trial along Sydney beaches, citing public safety as the “No.1 priority.” Two tagged great whites have since been detected near Manly and Maroubra.
Source: The Australian.
