Wife of Fatal Shark Attack Victim Breaks Her Silence: ‘I Have a Little Girl That Keeps on Asking Why’

Two months after her husband was killed in a shark attack off the coast of Sydney, a grieving widow is speaking out — determined to prevent similar tragedies.

Maria Psillakis shared emotional memories of her husband, Mercury Psillakis, during an interview with national outlet 9News on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Mercury, whom she described as “my rock, my everything,” was fatally mauled by a large shark on Sept. 6 near Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

He had been swimming at Dee Why for just 30 minutes before he was critically wounded and lost multiple limbs in the attack.

“I have a little girl that keeps on asking why, and I don’t know what to tell her,” Maria said.

Maria explained that her decision to speak publicly is driven by a hope that her loss might help protect others.

“Losing Merc has put a place in my heart that I can’t really put into words,” she said. “If we can make a positive out of this loss, I just want to minimize the risk and perhaps prevent this from happening to another family.”

Mercury’s death occurred just two weeks before the start of the patrol season, which utilizes drones to monitor shark activity, according to 9News. At the time, the surf club was closed and there was a reported 45-minute delay in activating the shark alarm.

Within half an hour of the incident, Maria said beachgoers were back in the water — just 10 meters from where her husband was killed.

The shark responsible was not detected by authorities, as it was untagged with smart drum lines. Maria is now advocating for stronger, evidence-based safety measures and urging Premier Chris Minns to bring together scientists, surf lifesavers and local leaders for a solution.

“I want to advocate for evidence-based systems to perhaps prevent another tragedy like this,” she told 9News.

She added that Mercury was always aware of the risks of ocean surfing — but she hopes those risks can be reduced in the future.

“I want [Mercury] to be remembered as the remarkable guy he was… is,” Maria said.