“I love you daddy”: Farewell to Sydney surfer – Tributes flow for Sydney’s heroic surfer
Farewell to Sydney surfer Mercury Psillakis. Family, friends, and Sydney’s surfing community gathered to farewell 57-year-old Mercury “Merc” Psillakis, who was killed in a shark attack at Dee Why (Long Reef) earlier this month.
The funeral was held at Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church in Crows Nest. Surfboards were held upright in a guard of honour, while his coffin was decorated with native flowers and a surfboard adorned with blooms stood by the pulpit — symbols of his deep love for the ocean.
His wife Maria, holding their daughter Freedom, was joined by Psillakis’ mother, who cried out in Greek: “my son, my son.” In closing, young Freedom delivered the most heartbreaking words of the day: “I love you daddy, I’ll miss you forever.”
“A hero, a shining example of love”
Tributes flow at funeral for Sydney surfer Mercury Psillakis. Psillakis was remembered as a hero, having warned fellow surfers to leave the water after spotting the shark just moments before he was fatally mauled. The priest described him as a “shining example of love” for his selflessness.
In a statement, his family called him “a loving, devoted and ridiculously fun husband, father, son, brother and loyal friend” and “Maria’s soulmate and the most loving father to Freedom.” They added: “Merc was impossible not to love – his energy was magnetic, his spirit full of fun, and he created joy and happiness in every interaction he touched.”
The bond with his twin brother
Together with his twin brother Mike, Mercury ran Psillakis Surfboards in Brookvale. Mike delivered a moving tribute, saying:
“We share the same soul… He was my right-hand man, my mirror, my blood, my DNA.”
In a message to the community, Mike urged people to “live life with pure passion. Express all emotions — happy, sad, angry, or mad — and tell your loved ones that you love them.”
A larger-than-life personality
Friends described Mercury as a “larger than life” figure, whose passions extended well beyond surfing. He travelled widely, held a black belt in taekwondo, and cultivated rare palms — earning him the nickname “The Germinator.” As one mourner put it: “It was impossible not to love him. His energy was extraordinary, his spirit full of fun, and he radiated happiness wherever he went.”
Mercury is survived by his wife Maria and daughter Freedom. A second memorial service is planned so that the wider community can pay their respects.
