The family and friends of shark attack victim Steven Mattaboni have gathered to honor the memory of the devoted father of two.
Standing on the sands of one of his cherished beaches, they celebrated the proud father, remembering his passion for the ocean—a legacy he would want his daughters to cherish.
“Steve had two great loves,” recounted his friend Liam Thomas. “His first was the ocean, where he excelled as a fisherman. But his greatest love was his family, especially his two beautiful daughters, who made him immensely proud.”
Today, those who knew him best stood together, sharing their sorrow and the profound sense of loss that comes like waves.
For the first time since the tragedy, his closest friend of over three decades spoke out.
“Steve was truly the kind of person who would give the shirt off his back,” Thomas shared.
“He was charismatic, loyal, funny, hardworking and had so many wonderful qualities that just made him so loved by so many people.”
The 38-year-old was spearfishing off Rottnest Island on Saturday when he was bitten on the legs by a four-metre great white shark.
His wife and two young girls were his lifeline.
“He was just so proud of his two beautiful daughters, and everything that he did for them and everything that he worked for was for them,” Thomas said.
Donations have poured in, more than $376,000 raised for his family.
Mattaboni’s loved ones say it’s important not to remember his life by how it was taken, rather by how it was lived.
They have been left broken but also with beautiful memories.
“Steve would absolutely want us to continue enjoying the ocean the way that he did, but also encouraging his beautiful girls to enjoy the water like he did as well,” Thomas said.
“(We’ll) continue to remember Steve in Rottnest and that place will always hold a special place in our hearts moving forward.”
