A surf club in Australia is encouraging the friends of a man who tragically died in a shark attack to return to surfing as part of a healing journey.
Mercury Psillakis, a 57-year-old accountant, lost his life last Saturday (September 6) due to a shark attack while surfing at a well-known beach in northern Sydney.
Biologists in Australia have confirmed that the white shark involved in the incident at Long Reef Beach measured approximately 3.4-3.6 meters, as stated by the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
Following the attack, Psillakis’ body and surfboard were retrieved from the ocean and brought ashore near Dee Why by lifeguards and friends who were present with him, according to The Mirror.
The father-of-one, described as ‘stoic and heroic to the end,’ reportedly lost ‘a number of limbs’ in the attack, and no resuscitation was attempted.
Just seconds before being pulled away by the shark at approximately 10am, Psillakis reportedly called together the six people he was surfing with to alert them of the approaching shark, as reported by the Australian Daily Telegraph.
The publication noted that the experienced surfer tried to gather his friends for safety.
“He was at the back of the pack still trying to get everyone together when the shark just lined him up,” said close friend Toby Martin.
He shared with MailOnline that the white shark attacked ‘straight from behind and breached and dropped straight on him’, describing it as a ‘worst-case scenario’.
“They normally come from the side, but this one came straight from behind, breached and dropped on him. It was so quick.”
The beach was promptly closed by officials, with The Northern Beaches Council announcing: “Notification by NSW (New South Wales) government: Shark Smart app that tagged a shark in the vicinity.”
Martin mentioned that the Dee Why community and those who witnessed the tragic event remain deeply affected.
“The impact this has had on the six and the community is huge, the six surfers Mercury helped save are processing their trauma,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
“Some of them are doing it tough, some tougher than others, but they are strong.”
Martin shared that his 10-year-old daughter has expressed her fear, asking him not to return to surfing, concerned for his safety.
The professional surfer supports a grieving plan initiated by the Long Reef Boardriders’ Association (LRSA). The club, founded in 1973, is encouraging athletes and the broader Dee Why community to participate in group counseling sessions to begin the healing process.
Martin explained that the counseling will provide ‘support to take a deep breath and get back in the water as part of the healing process’.
“You walk into the storm and it passes quicker than if you were to walk away from it.
“This is not only the loss of a mate, the six are heroes too – they helped bring Merc’s body back to shore,” he added.
On Monday (September 8), Psillakis’s identical twin, Mike, wrote a heartfelt tribute on Instagram.
He reflected on how he and his brother shared ‘the same soul’.
“We had our own language and shared the same dreams, literally…” he said. “He would be the life at every party. The pure energy from him could be felt in every corner.
He loved his wife Maria and [son] Freedom so very much. Please send them support in any way you can.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist the Psillakis Family with funeral expenses and to raise funds for Freedom’s future educational needs.
“Every contribution, no matter the size, will help ease the financial burden on his family during this heartbreaking time,” the page states.
“We thank you for your kindness, generosity and love. Merc touched countless lives and together we can honor his memory by supporting the family he loved so deeply.”
You can contribute to Mercury Psillakis’s GoFundMe page here.