Borrowed Time: How 'Pirates of the Caribbean' Actor Survived Countless Close-Calls Before Doomed Shark Attack
The 'Pirates of the Caribbean' actor killed in a shark attack over the weekend narrowly escaped countless dangerous situations as a pro surfer before meeting his tragic end, his wife says.
The Pirates of the Caribbean actor killed in a horrific shark attack over the weekend was reportedly no stranger to near-death experiences, having narrowly escaped countless dangerous situations as a pro surfer before meeting his tragic end, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The shocking incident occurred on Sunday as Hawaiian surfer-turned-actor Tamayo Perry, 49, was working as a lifeguard on Goat Island, just north of Honolulu. He paddled out to catch some waves during a break from his duties, and his lifeless body washed ashore missing an arm and leg later that day, Honolulu Emergency Medical Services said.
Tamayo Perry, 49, was killed by a shark over the weekend, north of Honolulu.
Tamayo's grieving widow said the actor, known for his roles in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Blue Crush, and Hawaii Five-0, had never been seriously concerned about shark attacks, which Hawaii wildlife officials call "extremely rare."
Emilia Perry spoke with the New York Post about her "larger than life" husband on Thursday, and revealed that Tamayo had several close encounters throughout his decades of surfing and lifeguarding on some of the world’s most dangerous beaches.
“He hit his head in 2004 and he got 50 stitches and 25 staples,” the grieving widow said, recalling that it was not uncommon for Tamayo to be struck by loose surfboards or suffer injuries in wipeouts. She said a board once flew into his temple, and on another occasion, he gouged his leg open dangerously close to his femoral artery.
Emilia Perry said her late husband was no stranger to dangerous situations as a pro surfer.
When it came to the prospect of a shark attack, Emilia said, "It's like knowing you could get in a car and get in a car accident. You don’t, you don’t, you don’t, then you do.”
“We all talk about it, but if you love surfing it’s not gonna stop you from paddling out,” Jesse King, a lifeguard who worked with Tamayo, added.
Emilia first met her husband surfing the perilous Banzai Pipeline in 1998, and Tamayo would return to work as a lifeguard there in 2016. The couple "had so much fun," according to Emilia, who called the world-renowned surfer a "ham" and "class clown."
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Tamayo was 'larger than life' and a 'class clown,' according to his widow.
"He had a really beautiful, full life. It was really, really fun. Just constant laughter,” she shared, adding that he was dedicated to keeping others safe as well as his religious faith.
“There’s lots of rescues he’s done. He’s pulled his best friends out. He’s pulled strangers out. None of it’s easy, it’s a very heroic job,” Emilia said. The widow said Tamayo would pray aloud when a victim required CPR.
“It’s crazy — every CPR case to Tamayo worked on, they’ve come back,” she said.
The couple met in 1998 while surfing the perilous Banzai Pipeline.
Jesse echoed Emilia's sentiments, saying the late surfer was an "amazing person."
“He was full of life, full of passion in everything he did. He never did anything with partial effort. He did everything full throttle all the time,” Jesse said. “Any room he was in, he would bring the light with him. He always just made time for you.”
Emilia described the last day she saw her husband: “It was just like another beautiful day. He woke up, gave me a bunch of kisses, say goodbye, I love you. Then he to work, and he didn’t come home.”
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