“My Bravest Warrior”: A Mother’s Heartbreaking Farewell to Her Son Nico Antic

The 12-year-old boy mauled by a suspected bull shark at a Sydney Harbour beach in the city’s eastern suburbs, the first in a series of terrifying shark attacks, has died in hospital.

Nico Antic was attacked after jumping into the water west of Shark Beach at Nielsen Park in Vaucluse on Sunday afternoon.

One of his friends leapt into the water to help before two others helped pull Nico onto a nearby rock platform.

Nearby Marine Area Command police boats sped toward his location. Police applied tourniquets to his injured legs and performed CPR on the bow of the boat as they raced Nico to Rose Bay ferry wharf, where paramedics took him to Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick.

Nico underwent surgery and was placed in an induced coma.

In a statement on Saturday, Nico’s parents, Lorena and Juan, said they were “heartbroken” to share the news of their son’s death.

“Nico was a happy, friendly, and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit. He was always full of life and that’s how we’ll remember him,” they said.

“We would like to sincerely thank the first responders and the teams at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick for everything they did to care for Nico. We would also like to thank everyone in the community for their support and kind messages.

“We ask you please respect our privacy during this exceptionally difficult time.”

The incident was the first in a series involving sharks in Sydney and around NSW this week after heavy rain brought bull sharks closer to shore.

A beach closure sign at North Steyne Beach following another shark attack on Monday.© Kate Geraghty

Nico was a nipper with the North Bondi Surf Lifesaving Club alongside his sister and father. In 2024, he was awarded the club’s under-11 boys’ most improved award.

Children attended the popular Vaucluse jump rock on Wednesday to lay flowers in Nico’s memory, Nine News reported.

Sam, who knew Nico from playing rugby and soccer together, said, “he was such a bright kid”.

Another friend, Nicho, said: “He was like really happy, really overexcited on everything. Good laughs.”

Rose Bay Secondary College has advised parents and carers the school is offering support to Nico’s family and students in his year group, including counselling sessions and appointments with the school psychologist.

Additional assistance will be offered when school resumes in February.

“Further, the college acknowledges the bravery shown by a number of young people at the scene immediately after the attack in rescuing and tending to Nico,” the school said.

“We have offered support to those young people who are students at the College, along with their families, and ask that we all respect their privacy.”

Victor Piñeiro, described as a “close friend” of the Antic family, launched an online fundraiser to help cover “upcoming expenses and related arrangements” earlier in the week.

“Despite all efforts, this heartbreaking event has led to the worst possible outcome,” Piñeiro wrote.

More than 2600 donations had been made to the fundraiser as of Thursday morning, exceeding $176,000.

Donor Max Hirst was among those who shared words of support on the fundraiser.

“Till the very end you were a really happy and brave kid and you were a really great friend,” Hirst wrote.

The attack on Sunday was the first of four this week in Sydney and on the Mid North Coast.

Musician Andre de Ruyter, 27, was also hospitalised after he was attacked on Sydney’s northern beaches on Monday evening.

He was surfing at Manly’s North Steyne Beach when a bull shark bit his right leg, causing severe lacerations and requiring a lower leg amputation.

Earlier on Monday, an 11-year-old was “very lucky” to escape injury after he was knocked off his surfboard at Dee Why.

Paul Zvirzdinas, 39, had a bite taken out of his surfboard and wetsuit at Point Plomer beach on the state’s mid north coast on Tuesday.