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Hundreds gathered at Granites Beach for a paddle-out in honor of Lance Appleby. The ceremony occurred just over a week after the 28-year-old was attacked by a shark while surfing the break in South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.
On January 2, emergency services were called to Granites Beach, responding to reports of a surfer being attacked by a shark. Shortly afterward, the beach was closed and South Australia Police and State Emergency Services began what would become a days-long effort to find the victim, who was revealed to be Appleby. After four days of unsuccessfully searching for his body, emergency services called off the effort, having recovering nothing but a surfboard from the water.
“Myself and quite a few other of his friends in the community and his family all got together not long after the accident happened and yeah, we said we need to make a paddle out for him because he was such a special human to us and such a special person to the whole west coast community,” long-term friend Leroy Johnson told ABC News. According to Johnson, there were between 100 and 150 people in the water, with another 150 to 200 participating from the shore.
A GoFundMe campaign has so far collected more than $118,000 to go towards a memorial, plaque and financial aid for Appleby’s family. “No matter where Lance lived or worked, he always made deep connections within the local community and formed lifelong friendships,” wrote organizer Kayla Petty. “He was the kind of person everyone wanted to hang out with. He loved sports, traveling, FaceTiming family, coffees, bear hugs, fulfilling his uncle duties, and most of all, spending time with his mates.
“Forever young, forever surfing, forever loved.”
A memorial service will be held at Streaky Bay on Monday.
