A well-known Hawaii lifeguard who was killed in a shark attack while surfing off Oahu鈥檚 North Shore was a former professional surfer with acting credits to his name, including a role in one of the 鈥淧irates of the Caribbean鈥� movies.

Tamayo Perry, 49, was killed Sunday near Goat Island, Shayne Enright of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department said in a statement.

It鈥檚 not known if Perry was the first professional surfer to be killed in a shark attack, since the definition of a professional in the sport can be blurry, said Brendan Buckley, the editor of Stab Magazine, a website devoted to surfing.

鈥淏ut in terms of a high-level surfer that people around the world know and respected, he鈥檚 the first that I鈥檓 aware of,鈥� Buckley told The Associated Press Monday from his office in Portugal.

Perry and his wife, Emilia Perry, operated the Oahu Surfing Experience, offering surfing lessons. According to his biography on the business鈥� website, he surfed professionally for over 15 years, highlighted by winning the Pipeline Master trials in 1999.

The Pipeline off Oahu鈥檚 North Shore is famous for creating a tube that surfers ride for as long as they can. But it鈥檚 also the most deadly wave in the world, killing some of the world鈥檚 best surfers, Buckley said. Surfing it became Perry鈥檚 specialty, he said.

Surfers either focus on competitions or what they can do outside of those meets.

Perry 鈥渨as never like somebody that was going to contend for a world title,鈥� Buckley said. 鈥淗e was more of the type to just kind of hunt down big, crazy waves and have that documented.鈥�

鈥淔or a while, he was one of the top, top, top people out there,鈥� Buckley added. 鈥滺e got some of the craziest waves of his era. He was insanely respected by obviously everybody there and everybody around the world for what he did.鈥�

Perry said on his website that he took to heart lessons learned from a near-fatal accident while surfing the Pipeline years ago.

鈥淭he lessons I鈥檝e taken from that event have inspired me to my goal of instilling proper surf etiquette and safety into those whom I teach,鈥� he wrote.

Emilia competed as a professional bodyboarder in western Australia before moving to Hawaii when she was 18. She and Tamayo met when she was bodyboarding out to a Pipeline wave.

鈥淎 few years later, I picked up a surfboard, we got married and there was no turning back,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淭he vast amounts of ocean knowledge that Tamayo has ingrained in me over the years is priceless.鈥�

Tamayo Perry began his career as a lifeguard on the North Shore for the City and County of Honolulu Ocean Safety in July 2016, Enright said.

Perry鈥檚 other passion was acting. He had several small roles credited to him on the film website including playing a buccaneer in 鈥淧irates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides鈥� in 2011. That same year, he appeared in an episode of the television series 鈥淗awaii Five-0.鈥� He was also in a couple of national commercials.

鈥淲hen I鈥檓 not acting, I鈥檓 still quite a character, so there鈥檚 always a ton of fun to be had,鈥� he said.

Photographer Brian Bielmann had known and worked with Perry for 25 years, shooting the surfer in both Hawaii and Tahiti. Perry and several friends wound up at a party about five months ago, when Bielmann said they had an incredible bonding experience.

鈥淭here鈥檚 about five of us there, and we鈥檝e all called each other and just said, 鈥榃e just are so thankful that we had that night with him,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淓verybody is just shaken to the core. I mean, it鈥檚 a gnarly thing to have happen no matter who it is, but to find out it was Tamayo, it鈥檚 crazy, man.鈥�

Honolulu Ocean Safety and the city鈥檚 fire, police and emergency medical services departments responded to Malaekahana Beach on Oahu鈥檚 North Shore just before 1 p.m. Sunday after a caller reported seeing a man who appeared to have suffered shark bites, Enright said.

Lifeguards brought Perry to shore, where he was pronounced dead, Enright said.

Ocean Safety personnel posted shark warnings in the area following the attack, Enright said.

Honolulu Ocean Safety Acting Chief Kurt Lager said Perry was 鈥渁 lifeguard loved by all.鈥�

鈥淭amayo鈥檚 personality was infectious and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more,鈥� Lager said at a news conference.

鈥淭amayo was a legendary waterman and highly respected,鈥� Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said, calling Perry鈥檚 death 鈥渁 tragic loss.鈥�

The was Dec. 30 when a man surfing off Maui was attacked about 150 yards (137 meters) from shore.

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