The grieving parents of a young shark attack victim have paid tribute to their son, describing him as a boy who “embraced life” with open arms. In a heartfelt display of solidarity, friends and supporters gathered for a massive paddle-out to honor the memory of the young surfer.

Over 100 individuals, clutching their surfboards, joined Nico Antic’s family in a poignant early morning memorial at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday.

Community members crowded the sands of the renowned beach to participate in the ceremony, held more than a week after the enthusiastic rugby player succumbed to injuries from the tragic incident.

Nico, an avid member of the North Bondi Surf Lifesaving Club, suffered critical injuries while swimming with friends near a popular beach in Vaucluse, located in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, earlier in January.

His father, Juan, clad in the distinctive yellow and red of the surf lifesaving uniform, addressed the gathering at North Bondi, standing alongside Nico’s mother, Lorena.

“We adored this child beyond words, our Nico. I’ll miss him every day,” Juan expressed, tears streaming down his face.

“He loved his mates, he loved life. I’m sure he’s watching all of us so thanks to all of you for being part of this for Nico.”

The 12-year-old was one of four people attacked by sharks off NSW beaches in two days in January.

His death marked the first fatal shark attack inside Sydney Harbour in more than 60 years.

Surfer Mercury Psillakis, 57, was fatally bitten by a shark at Sydney’s Long Reef beach in September.

Pablo Bardon, who has known the Argentine-Australian Antic family for two decades, said it had been a very tough period for the tight-knit community in which ties were forged through people’s connection to the water and surfing.

“When you have kids, it’s really hard. It’s been an emotional process,” the father-of-three said.

Bondi Beach had dramatically changed since the nearby shark attack and the terrorist attack of 14 December that left 15 dead.

“When driving down, it didn’t feel great. It’s not the same place,” Bardon said.

The paddle-out was organised by Nico’s school, Rose Bay Secondary College, which remembered him as “deeply loved by a large network of friends”.

“He brought warmth, energy and kindness to those around him and will be remembered for the joy he shared so freely,” the school said previously.

For Gus De Notto, it was a tough moment paddling out on his surfboard.

“I feel like a really heavy atmosphere and of course, it was nice to see people but unfortunately, that won’t bring back Nico’s life,” he said.

“He was a super-happy child.”

Extra funding for shark attack prevention

After the spate of incidents, an extra $4.2 million was added to NSW beach safety programs, including shark tagging and monitoring and the installation of listening stations in the harbour.

Drone patrols will be extended to seven days a week through to the end of the April school holidays, covering 30 more beaches in Sydney and along the NSW coast.

Australia’s largest ocean swim, the Cole Classic, was due to take place across the harbour in Manly on Sunday, but the event was postponed until 22 February to “keep participants safe”.

“Conditions are trending positively and allowing additional time will further support a safe and enjoyable swim,” organisers said.

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