Two months after the death of her husband Mercury Psillakis, who was killed in a shark attack at Dee Why Beach on September 6, Maria Psillakis has spoken publicly for the first time, determined to prevent other families from suffering the same loss.
“Losing Merc has put a place in my heart that I can’t really put into words. He is – was – my rock, my everything,” she said.
Mercury was surfing with friends when he was attacked by a great white shark about 80 metres offshore.
The incident occurred two weeks before the patrol season began, meaning the surf club was closed and the shark alarm was not triggered for 45 minutes.
“Not half an hour later, there were children swimming within 10 metres of where my husband was,” Maria recalled.
While acknowledging the risks surfers face, Maria is calling for better safety systems, including year-round drone patrols and stronger protections.
The shark involved was untagged, preventing detection by existing smart drum line systems.
“I want to advocate for evidence-based systems to perhaps prevent another tragedy like this,” she said.
With support from Member for Wakehurst Michael Regan, Maria is urging Premier Chris Minns to convene a roundtable with scientists, surf lifesavers, and the community to improve safety and save lives.
“I want [Mercury] to be remembered as the remarkable guy he was… is,” she said.
Source: 9News.
