Twin Brother of Surfer Killed in Shark Attack Says His Death Was the 'Hardest Moment of My Life' By Escher Walcott

The twin brother of Mercury Psillakis, the surfer killed in a shark attack in Sydney, described him as “his right-hand man” in an emotional tribute.

Mercury, 57, was mauled to death by a shark at a Sydney beach on Sept. 6. His twin brother Mike Psillakis called the tragedy “the hardest moment of my life” while honoring his late brother two days later in a statement on Instagram.

“He was my Ying, I was his Yang ☯️,” Mike wrote, alongside photos of himself with his brother. “He was my mirror, my blood, my DNA. We were telepathic. We share the same soul. Mercury was my life, my right-hand man.”

“Words cannot describe the bond we had together growing up. We had our own language and shared the same dreams, literally. The experiences we had together ❤️ were truly amazing,” he recalled.

At around 10:00 a.m. local time on Sept. 6, emergency services responded to reports that a man, identified as Mercury, had “critical injuries” after being bitten by a “large shark” on the Northern Beaches, the New South Wales Police previously said in a press release.

Mercury was retrieved and brought to the shore, where he died, according to police. He was attacked 30 minutes after entering the waters around 100 meters off Long Reef Beach and lost multiple limbs in the attack, 7News Australia reported, citing police.

Australian biologists estimated that the shark in question measured around 12 feet, per CBS News.

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Despite the tragic circumstances of his death, Mike said in his tribute that his brother’s “message to all is to live life with pure passion.”

“He was passionate … the life at every party…” he continued. “He loved his wife Maria and Freedom so very much,” he added of Mercury’s surviving wife and daughter. “Please send them support in any way you can 🙏.”

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Mercury was described elsewhere as a “hero” and “devoted husband” to his wife, Maria Psillakis, in a family statement.

“This is a statement that is so hard to write, as there are no words that can describe the amazing, humorous, and beautiful man he is,” the family said, per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

 “Unfortunately, this was a tragic and unavoidable accident. We are devastated by this loss, but will forever carry his spirit, energy, and joy in our hearts,” they added.