‘Loved life’: mass paddle-out for young shark victim
Heartbroken parents of a shark attack victim remembered him as a boy who “loved life” as friends and supporters attended a mass paddling event to mourn the young surfer.
More than 100 people holding signs and surrounding the family of 12-year-old Nico Antic attended an early morning memorial service at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday.
Locals packed the sands of the famous beach for the event, which was held a week after the keen rugby player died from injuries.
Nico, a nipper at North Bondi Surf Lifesaving Club, was seriously injured while swimming with friends near a popular beach at Vaucluse in Sydney’s east in early January.
Wearing a yellow and red surf lifesaving uniform, his father Juan addressed the crowd on the North Bondi shore alongside Nico’s mother Lorena.
“We love this boy very much, our Nico. I will miss him forever,” Antic said as she wiped her tears.
“He loved his friends, he loved life. I’m sure he was watching over all of us, on behalf of Nico, thank you all for being a part of this.”
The 12-year-old was one of four people attacked by sharks off the coast of NSW over two days in January.
His death marked the first fatal shark attack in Sydney Harbor in more than 60 years.
Surfer Mercury Psillakis, 57, was fatally bitten by a shark at Sydney’s Long Reef beach in September.
Pablo Bardon, who has known the Argentinian-Australian Antic family for two decades, said it had been a very difficult time for the tight-knit community, whose bonds were forged through people’s connection to the water and surfing.
“It’s really hard when you have children. It’s been an emotional process,” the father of three told AAP.
Bondi Beach had changed dramatically since the December 14 terror attack, which resulted in a nearby shark attack and the deaths of 15 victims.
“I didn’t feel very good going down. It’s not the same place,” Mr. Bardon said.
The paddle was organized by Nico’s school, Rose Bay Secondary School, who was remembered as being “deeply loved by a wide network of friends”.
“He brought warmth, energy and kindness to those around him and will be remembered for the joy he freely shared,” the school said in a previous statement.
Paddling the surfboard was a difficult moment for Gus De Notto.
“I feel a really heavy atmosphere and of course it was nice to see people but unfortunately this will not bring Nico’s life back,” he said.
“He was a very happy child.”
Following multiple incidents, an extra $4.2 million was added to NSW beach safety programmes, including shark tagging and monitoring and the installation of listening stations in the harbour.
Drone patrols will be extended to seven days a week until the end of the April school holidays, covering a further 30 beaches in Sydney and along the NSW coast.
The Cole Classic, Australia’s largest ocean swimming race, was due to take place in Manly harbor on Sunday but the event has been postponed until February 22 to “keep participants safe”.
“Conditions are looking positive and allowing additional time will further support safe and enjoyable swimming,” organizers said.
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