More than 1,000 people gathered at Sorrento Beach in Perth to pay tribute to Greg O’Neill, who was killed in a shark attack while swimming near the shoreline last month.
Many attendees wore blue as they joined family, friends, and members of the local community in a memorial ceremony celebrating the life of the 63-year-old, who was a regular visitor to the beach.
During the gathering, Keelan O’Neill, Greg’s son, delivered an emotional message urging people not to let fear keep them from returning to the ocean and pursuing the activities they love.
“He’d wish for you all to keep exercising … keep swimming, keep paddling, keep doing the things that you love as dad would have done, and the things that bring you happiness,” he said.
Keelan said his father would have wanted people to embrace life fully and continue enjoying the outdoors and the ocean that he loved so much.
Greg O’Neill died in September after being attacked by a large great white shark while swimming close to shore at Sorrento Beach. His death marked the third fatal shark attack in Western Australia this year, renewing discussions around shark safety along the state’s coastline.
As part of the tribute, members of the O’Neill family led mourners to the shoreline, where they threw handfuls of sand into the surf in his memory.
The symbolic gesture was followed by hundreds of others, creating a moving tribute to a man remembered as a devoted father, husband, brother, friend, and active member of the local community.
The large turnout reflected the deep impact O’Neill had on those around him and demonstrated the strength of support shown to his family in the weeks following the tragedy.
The memorial also served as a celebration of his passion for the ocean and active lifestyle, with many attendees sharing stories of his kindness, energy, and love for the beach.
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