Before becoming a lifeguard, Perry was best known for his surfing exploits as well as for a series of film and television roles. He began surfing at the age of 12 and went on to win the Pipeline Masters in 2005. Perry appeared in Pirates of Tthe Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Earlier roles included appearances in the television series Hawaii Five-0 and Blue Crush, a 2002 film about surfing.

Kurt Lager, the acting head of Honolulu Ocean Safety, said Perry was “a lifeguard loved by all”.

“He’s well known on the North Shore. He’s a professional surfer known worldwide,” Mr Lager told a news conference. Tamayo’s personality was infectious and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more.”

Rick Blangiardi, the Mayor of Honolulu, paid tribute to Perry, calling his death “a tragic loss”.

“Tamayo was a legendary waterman and highly respected,” he said.

There is some news that’s almost too horrifying and heartbreaking to believe. 

Today on Oahu, news spread that beloved North Shore icon Tamayo Perry was killed by a shark while surfing Goat Island, a wave off the east coast of Oahu that he is almost synonymous with. His body was reportedly found on the island by local surfers with an arm and a leg missing.

Tamayo, 49, was born and raised on the east side and made his career on the North Shore, both as a professional surfer and later a lifeguard.

One of the most durable and committed pipeline specialists of all time, Tamayo has long sat in the pantheon of grades alongside Lopez, Andy and Bruce Irons, Sean, Briley, Michael and Derek Ho.

While 13-year-old Bethany Hamilton famously lost her arm to a tiger shark in Kauai in 2003, this is the first time to our knowledge that a professional surfer has been killed by a shark. It is truly unfathomable.

Our hearts go out to Tamayo’s international community of friends, and his family in Hawaii. 

We’ll populate remembrances below, as there are countless surfers around the world who were touched by Tamayo. 

From the Encyclopedia of Surfing:

Hard-charging, God-fearing Pipeline specialist from Oahu’s North Shore; named by Surfing magazine in 2002 as “most likely to get the barrel of the year.” Perry was born (1975) and raised on the East Side of Oahu, began surfing at age 12, and soon became best friends with future pop crooner Jack Johnson, who lived in a beachfront house at Pipeline.

Perry was known in his late teenage years as the quiet up-and-coming local boy who had to borrow surfboards because he had no sponsors. By 1997, the wiry goofyfooter had gone a long way to developing a tuberiding style combining traits from Gerry Lopez and Tom Carroll, his two favorite old-school Pipeline surfers. He’d meanwhile become a devout born-again Christian: Asked by a surf magazine to name the last two books he’d read, Perry listed the Bible and The End: 50 Reasons Why Jesus Christ Could Return Before the Year 2000.

Perry has competed selectively, and with modest success, finishing fourth in the 2000 Pipeline Masters Trials and fifth in the Billabong Pro Trials at Teahupoo. Nonetheless, by 2005 he was generally regarded as Pipeline’s single most dominate surfer.

Perry has appeared in more than a dozen surf videos, including The Bomb (1998), Revelation (2000), All Aboard (2002), and Loaded Pipe (2004). Emila Perry, Tamayo’s Australian-born wife, is a professional bodyboarder.

Taylor Wily, a former sumo wrestler turned beloved television actor, died Thursday. He was 56.

Details surrounding his death, including Wily’s cause of death, are currently unknown.

“Hawaii Five-0” executive producer Peter Lenkov confirmed Wily’s death to The Associated Press, and shared a number of tributes to his “brother” on social media.

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“T, as I told you many times, I fell in love with you at the first audition,” Lenkov captioned a video montage of moments with Taylor. “You came in with a towel on your head mopping up sweat, and I was smitten. You charmed me into making you a regular… on the show… and in my life. You were family. And I will miss you every day, brother.”

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He added, “PS: when we spoke last week, we laughed at how right you were from Day 1. Five-0 was our dream job. And I was so lucky we got to share that magic together.”

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Taylor Wily, played Kamekona on “Hawaii: Five-0.” (Pictured with executive producer Peter Lenkov) (Getty Images)

Wily, who was born Teila Tuli, was a fan-favorite of “Hawaii Five-0” and was known for portraying informant Kamekona Tupuola in 171 episodes of the detective show. Wily also took the character to “Magnum P.I.” for a handful of episodes.

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After competing in sumo wresting and then a short stint in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Wily turned his attention to acting. He found fame in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” as hotel employee Kemo who befriended Jason Segel’s character.

In another post, Lenkov wrote, “I’ve been hearing from thousands of people whose lives Taylor touched. Not surprised one bit. If you met him, he was immediately your friend. I keep hearing from people how ‘approachable’ he was. So true.” 

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“For 10 years we talked about opening a real Kamekona shave ice stand or shrimp truck. Not a franchise. Just one place. So he could be there when not filming to greet customers. That’s what he wanted.”

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Will Yun Lee, who worked with Taylor on “Hawaii: Five-0” wrote on Instagram that Wily was “a prince of a man who was a king, gentle warrior.”

Wily was a fan-favorite of “Hawaii Five-0” and was known for portraying informant Kamekona Tupuola in 171 episodes of the detective show.  (Getty Images)

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He added, “Loved him the second I met him. Loved hearing all his stories, especially about the UFC. But mostly I just enjoyed sitting with him in his quietness. Sending love to his family. He will be missed. 

Michelle Borth, who starred as Catherine Rollins on 60 episodes of the hit detective show, wrote, “My heart aches. Taylor was a gentle soul with a big beautiful heart and infectious smile. I’m grateful for the memories and the time we shared. You’ll be missed, but never forgotten my friend.”

Wily is survived by his wife, Halona, and their two children.

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