Toby Martin embraced the wonderful memories and character of close friend Mercury Psillakis, remarking on his boisterous, larger-than-life personality that endeared him to the northern beaches community and surfing community alike.
Martin opened up to Neos Kosmos on his friendship with Mercury, who was tragically killed by a shark on Saturday (6 September) at Dee Why Beach, and his twin brother Mike which began over 40 years ago.
“We grew up surfing together, competing together, laughing together, fighting together, celebrating together, dropping in on each other and living our best lives that we can,” he said.
He noted the brothers as both being great characters and described their time together as “four decades of fun, vivid entertainment”.
Martin grew close with the Psillakis brothers through a mutual love of the ocean, with a particular passion for surfing.
“If you look back to the early ’70s, two young Greek kids being immersed in the surf culture of that time, it was probably really tough for them but they threw themselves into that as they have done in life,” he said.
The surfer stated that it became part of their daily fabric of entertainment, with their bond growing over time as they also went through all of life’s trials and tribulations together.
When asked what first comes to mind when thinking about Mercury, he was quick to say “animated and larger than life”.
Martin remarked on how they would engage in surfing club competitions, immersing themselves in the local surfing community and the broader community of the norther beaches.
“We thrived on challenging each other, surfing as hard as we could, playing footy and sports and every contest there was,” he said, noting their travels and competing in the amateurs and semi-professional ranks of surfing.
The surfer revealed that he had just left Dee Why beach before the tragic incident on Saturday, which is opposite to his normal routine of surfing around that time.
“I took my daughter to a soccer presentation. As soon as I left the phone went off and the messages asking if I was alive and ok,” he revealed.
Martin immediately left for the beach upon finding out, aware that his close ties with the Dee Why surfing community meant the person could have been a friend while also mindful that there was a junior surfing contest going on that day.
“As I was driving back it came through it was one of the Psillakis brothers,” he said.
“As a twin there was a lot of confusion as to whether it was Mike or Merc and just trying to process that shock and grief.”
He, along with many other friends, tried to comfort to the family amid the horror of the situation.
Martin confirmed he spoke with the other six surfers in and around Mercury at the time, who stated he did alert them of the presence of a large shark and suggested they band together and make their way to shore.
“Unfortunately, Merc’s awareness in getting everyone else to shore safely was ultimately fatal for him.”
Martin was quick to praise the other surfers for their heroism in grabbing Mercury and returning his body to shore, providing some solace to his family.
“I can’t even…just going through the process and you obviously thing different things at different times but, had we not had his body back, that process would be even harder,” he said.
“I know those surfers are finding it quite traumatic as we all are. The vivid images they have got to process certainly gives them heroic status and doing what we all would do as surfers: protecting our mates and making sure everyone goes in and gets out of the ocean safely.”
Mercury is survived by his wife Maria, his daughter Freedom, his brother and two sisters, and both of his elderly parents.
Martin praised Mike immensely for his strength in dealing with the whole process, remarking that he had the presence of mind to return the jumper he had given him.
“To have that sense of awareness given the circumstances is and was incredible. I think back to those moments and I just wonder ‘how can you even be thinking about giving my jumper back?’.”
The longtime friend of Mercury closed by emphasising the huge impression he left on those who knew him.
“Mercury was a 57-year-old larger than life character, who immersed himself not only in the community but became synonymous in the surfing community and the solace we take out of this horrible situation is he died doing what he absolutely loved to do where he loved to do it.”
A GoFundMe page has been started by friends of Mercury to support his family with funeral costs and to help secure his daughter Freedom’s future education.
“You are forever with me”
Mike paid tribute to his brother in an emotional post on Instagram the Monday after the incident, honouring his “right hand man”.
He opened the post by immediately admitting it was the “the hardest moment of my life”.
“He was my Ying, I was his Yang. He was my mirror, my blood, my DNA. We were telepathic. We share the same soul,” the post reads.
“Mercury was my life, my right hand man.”
The twin expressed the closeness of their bond never weakened from the moment they were born, remarking “we had our own language and shared the same dreams, literally”.
Mike stated that his brother encouraged all “to live life with pure passion”.
“Express ALL emotions, whether they are happy, sad, angry or mad. Tell your loved ones that you love them. Hold them tight. Get rid of the filter that hides who you really are,” he wrote.
“He was passionate about being REAL!”
He noted Mercury’s passion for exotic palms and emphasised the deep love he had for his wife Maria and daughter Freedom.
His post concluded by thanking everyone for their messages of support before saying:
“I love you bro. You are forever with me, through me.”
Shark believed to be Great White
The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) released a statement on Monday wherein they revealed their belief the shark that killed Mercury was a Great White.
“NSW government shark biologists have assessed photographs of the victim’s surfboard and determined a white shark approximately 3.4-3.6 metres in length was likely responsible,” the statement said.
“Based on information from emergency services, it is understood the incident occurred approximately 300 metres north of the Surf Life Saving club.”
The DPIRD revealed new measures that are being taken in response to the attack.
“An extra two SMART drumlines have been deployed by the DPIRD contractor between Dee Why and Long Reef on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, in addition to the three SMART drumlines deployed daily off Dee Why year-round,” the DPIRD statement said.
“Surf Life Saving NSW have also deployed drones in the area again today, plus helicopter surveillance.”
The Northern Beaches Council also announced the closure of Manly Beach and Freshwater Beach on Monday morning, saying the NSW Government Shark Smart app had reported a sighting of a “tagged shark in the vicinity” of the beaches.
They join Dee Why and Long Reef to make it four beach closures in total, while a planned trial to take down shark nets from Sydney beaches was paused yesterday.
