The widow of Tamayo Perry broke her silence amid her husband’s “devastating” death by shark attack.
Good Morning America shared an exclusive interview with Tamayo’s widow, Emilia, this morning.
“I feel so upset and devastated, but I also have a weird calmness in my heart knowing that he’s in a better place,” she said of her husband’s tragic death.
She could barely speak through her tears. The two had known each other for over two decades.
“It was like I went on the best 25-year vacation of my life with him, and now it’s over,” Emilia added. “Now, I gotta come back to reality.”
Tamayo Perry’s Widow Speaks Out About His Tragic Death
Tamayo’s widow shared that their relationship felt like a vacation — one she must now accept is over. His community and fans echoed the same sentiments.
Tamayo is well-known for his role in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. He was also a local legend who taught surfing. It was just another average day when he paddled out onto the waters in his usual area, where he ultimately was attacked and killed by a shark.
“There was nothing out of the ordinary that would indicate that something bad would happen to him versus anybody else,” his friend and coworker Jesse King said. “It was a regular day.”
Shayne Enright of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department spoke in a press conference about the tragic incident. He explained that authorities responded to calls on Mālaekahana Beach after receiving reports of a shark attack.
“As you can imagine, this is [an] extremely difficult time for all of us,” he said during the press conference. “I ask for your kindness and your patience as we all just try to get through this next hour into these next weeks and months.”