Moments of joy shared by Duncan Craw and his young son were immortalized in photos before the father met a tragic end, being fatally attacked by a shark.
At 32, Duncan was enjoying a day at the beach with his two-year-old son, Levi, and wife, Taylia, when he disappeared near Port MacDonnell in South Australia’s Lower South East in 2021.
Campbell Hill from South Australia police revealed that a ‘large shark’ had been spotted in the vicinity on the day Duncan vanished while snorkeling.
Unaware of the impending tragedy, Taylia took a photo that would become her husband’s last.
The picture shows a joyful Levi playing on the beach, outfitted in shorts, a t-shirt, and a hat, facing away from the water. In the distance, Duncan is a tiny figure as he snorkels in the ocean.
See the image below:
After Duncan’s disappearance, rescue teams discovered two fins and a torn wetsuit.
Initially, Hill mentioned that ‘items in the water’ led authorities to consider it a ‘shark attack-related matter’. However, investigations later suggested that Duncan likely died of natural causes before encountering the shark.
His family stated: “While we may never know for sure, based on the evidence we do have, we now believe it is most likely Duncan suffered a medical episode long before the arrival of the shark.”
“It brings us comfort to know that he would have passed away peacefully in the water.”
Duncan was described as a man with a ‘heart of gold’; a ‘cheerful, loving, helpful son’ and a ‘kind and cheeky brother to his sisters’.
In a conversation with Australia’s ABC News, his family expressed: “It’s also impossible to fully explain the hole this will leave behind in the lives of all the relatives and friends who love Duncan.”
“We will never forget Duncan and we will make sure his memory lives on,” they added.
A GoFundMe campaign, ‘Duncan’s Legacy for Levi,’ was launched in the wake of the tragedy to help ‘set Levi up for the future’.
The page noted that Levi was aware his father was ‘in heaven’, and Duncan’s loved ones were ‘determined to ensure he will remember how much Duncan loved his little man’.
The fundraiser surpassed its goal of $50,000 AUD ($32,477 USD), collecting $56,385 AUD ($36,624 USD).