A TWIN brother of a surfer dad mauled to death by a 20ft shark has spoken out after laying him to rest — revealing the sweet moment he believes was his brother’s final gift.
Mike Psillakis paddled out at Sydney‘s Dee Why Beach with his mates – facing the same stretch of ocean where his brother Mercury was fatally attacked days before.
The twins pictured before Mercury’s tragic death[/caption]
Mike Psillakis paddled out with pals at Dee Why Beach, the same ocean where his brother was attacked[/caption]
Mike left a touching tribute to his brother on the sand[/caption]
Mercury, 57, was mauled by a massive shark on September 7 while surfing about 100 metres off Long Reef Beach.
The Aussie surfer tragically died almost instantly.
For Mike, strapping on the leg rope again was a moment laced with grief and strength in a heartbreaking tribute to his brother.
He shared on social media after Thursday’s paddle-out: “Was good to get the monkey off my back this morning with some of my close friends and a few other special friends from other beaches on the peninsula.
“My first wave was undoubtedly gifted to me from my brother Mercury. It was a freak wave in substandard conditions.”
He admitted the week had been crushing as he laid his twin to rest.
“Yesterday was hard. Laying my brother down for his last eternal wave, but in the midst of the pain, down at Dee Why Beach, I knew he was playing with the dolphins,” Mike wrote.
The inseparable brothers’ bond has shone through since Mercury’s death.
Mike has posted old text exchanges, including one about surf conditions at Curl Curl.
“Just another telepathic message that my brother Mercury and I shared,” he wrote.
“Drove past Curly. Looks like a wave,” Mike had texted.
Seconds later, Mercury replied: “What’s Curly like.”
“Wow,” Mike responded, adding: “I sent your answer before you sent the question.”
In a separate post, Mike wrote: “I take solace in knowing that when Merc died, a part of me died with him.
“But more importantly a part of him lives through me, helping me to carry his flame as long as I live.”
It comes as details of Mercury’s final moments reveal he was bravely trying to save others before the fatal strike.
Friends say the dad spotted the 16ft predator and began warning nearby surfers.
Mercury was pulled under at a busy Sydney beach[/caption]
Cops put up a tent on the beach as the attack was investigated[/caption]
Family and friends comfort each other at the scene of the tragedy[/caption]
“He was at the back of the pack still trying to get everyone together when the shark just lined him up,” former pro-surfer Toby Martin told the Daily Telegraph.
“It came straight from behind and breached and dropped straight on him. It’s the worst-case scenario.
“They normally come from the side but this one came straight from behind, breached and dropped on him. It was so quick.”
Witnesses described the horror as Mercury disappeared under the surface, dragged down with his board.
Grisly remains of his torso later washed ashore with “multiple limbs” missing.
“A couple of the guys had to get the remaining parts of his torso into shore which was pretty traumatic,” Toby said.
Two lifeguards carried his remains to the sand, but with catastrophic injuries there was no attempt at resuscitation.
Mercury was an experienced surfer[/caption]
