Surfer’s heroic final act before being torn in half by shark in horror attack

Mercury Psillakis was attacked and killed by a shark off Long Reef Beach in Australia, and in his final moments, he did something heroic.

The incident took place in September 2025 when Mercury Psillakis and his friends were surfing near Sydney’s Northern Beaches. A great white shark attacked Psillakis, and according to reports, it tore him in half.

Witnesses said the shark cut his surfboard in half. During the attack, Psillakis lost both legs and was pronounced dead at the scene. People on the beach tried to grab hold of him and bring him to shore, while also collecting parts of his body.

Mark Morgenthal was there and witnessed the attack unfold. Speaking to Sky News, he later described the shark as enormous.

“There was a guy screaming, ‘I don’t want to get bitten, I don’t want to get bitten, don’t bite me,’” he said, according to UNILAD.

“Then I saw the tail fin come up and start kicking, and the distance between the dorsal fin and the tail fin looked to be about four meters, so it actually looked like a six-meter shark.”

Mercury Psillakis was attacked by a shark

His friend and former professional surfer, Toby Martin, later spoke about Psillakis’ heroic final act before the attack. According to Martin, Psillakis was actively calling out to warn others about the shark and was focused on ensuring nobody else got hurt.

“He was at the back of the pack still trying to get everyone together when the shark just lined him up,”

“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.”

According to an ABC News report, Martin also reflected on the heartbreak of losing his friend and praised him for his determination to protect others.

In a GoFundMe launched after the incident, Merc’s energy was described as “magnetic”.

“He was so much fun, kind, thoughtful and full of life. He created joy and laughter everywhere he went and he was impossible not to love,” the page reads.

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