The grieving family of a talented young surfer mauled to death by a shark have spoken publicly for the first time to pay tribute to the teen.
Khai Cowley died after his leg was bitten off at Ethel Beach in the Innes National Park, on the Yorke Peninsula of South on Thursday.
His heartbroken grandfather Peter Barley said that the family have been overwhelmed by the support from the close-knit community in the wake of the tragedy.
The flag at the local surf shop remains at half-mast in memory of Khai.
‘So hurting…I’ve never seen people so hurt, honestly… it’s something to behold,’ Mr Barley told Nine News.
‘I keep thinking at any minute he’s just going to keep walking through the front door.
‘We are a very close strong family and we’ll get through it.’
Khai Cowley (pictured left with his grandfather Peter and uncle Adam) was killed by a shark on Thursday while he was out surfing
Khai’s uncle Adam Barley spent countless hours on the water with his nephew.
‘The connection between Adam and Khai- witnessing it used to make me cry sometimes,’ his grandfather added.
‘When we were out in the water, it was like magic.’
‘Us three together- it was magical.’
‘Because of the love coming his way, it negates the tragedy.’
Adam said that his nephew never took a backward step and was known as someone who always had fun and made others smile.
‘He really did make the most of life, he didn’t waste a second,’ Adam told The Advertiser.
‘He was very courageous, he would surf bigger waves than his dad Tim.’
Khai was out with his father on the water on Thursday afternoon he was attacked by a suspected great white shark.
The family of a young surfer Khai Cowley who was killed in a shark attack say they are reeling from the boy’s death. Pictured is his grandfather Peter Barley (left) and uncle Adam (right)
He tried to swim back to shore when a local, Tim Philip charged into the surf to try and rescue him after he saw the young surfer struggling in the water.
Khai was already unconscious by the time Mr Philip got to him and dragged him back to shore.
‘I’d say (the shark was) four metres,’ Mr Philip said – and it was circling him,’ he told Seven News.
‘I was in waist deep water and just made the decision to run back… grab him, and managed to drag him back to shore, back to the people on the beach.’
Devastated residents are struggling to come to terms with the shocking incident – the first in the area in known history.
Ryan Valente, a local skipper with Reef Encounters who knows the Marion Bay region well, said it was unusual to see great whites in the area and could not recall any similar incidents.
‘It’s stuff nightmares are made of,’ Mr Valente told ABC Radio on Friday.
‘Yesterday itself conditions-wise was a very grim day – lightning, strong winds and it was quite a dark day.
Khai’s uncle Adam said the teen (pictured) was courageous and never wasted a moment of his life
The talented surfer (pictured) was remembered as someone who always had fun and made others smile
Sean Hanna, who has been coming to the beach for four decades visited the beach on Friday morning after he heard about the boy’s death.
He told the newspaper he came down to the beach to pay his respects to the boy and praised him for doing what he loved even though he said conditions in the water weren’t ideal at the time the teen was killed.
Locals left tributes to Khai with flowers and signed placards placed on the beach in remembrance of the teenager.
The surfing community in the area are planning to organise a paddle out dedicated to Khai and to celebrate his love for the water.
Just two weeks ago before his death, Khai – ranked 146th under 18 surfer in – had been named the ‘most outstanding grom performer’ by his local Seaview Road Board Riders surf club.
His grandfather said Khai wouldn’t have stopped surfing if he had survived the attack and said he still feels like his grandson could walk through the front door.
An online fundraiser set up by Khai’s aunty has already raised more than $75,000 towards the funeral and other expenses during the difficult months ahead.
Khai (pictured) loved the water and spent countless hours with his grandad and uncle surfing