Cousin Of Shark Attack Victim: 'He Had The Biggest Heart'
REVERE(CBS)- The family of 26-year-old Arthur Medici says he absolutely loved to surf and be in the water. And when it came to sharks, he just never thought it would happen to him.
Arthur Medici left for the Cape Friday with his good friend, Isaac Rocha.
The two stayed in a hotel that night and hit the beach Saturday.
Rocha heard his screams and rushed into the water to save him.
Rocha is the brother of Medici's girlfriend. His family says he was getting ready to propose to her.
"They were talking about marriage they were ready to spend the rest of their lives together," his cousin Sarah Medici Coutinho said.
Medici's parents live in Brazil, and he came to study engineering here. His cousin, Sarah, says they were so close that he was more like a brother to her.
"He had the biggest heart in the world, he filled up a room, his laughter filled up a room, he was a great person to be around, he was so selfless," she said.
Knowing how much he loved his trips to the beach, her mother often warned Medici about sharks.
"We knew the dangers about sharks. We asked him not to go. He always assumed it wasn't going to happen to him. You never think it's going to happen to you till it does," she added.
At the beach now, around a sign telling swimmers to beware there is a memorial for Medici.
As his family begins to plan his funeral, both here and in Brazil, they can only find comfort in one thing. "He loved to surf, he passed doing what he loved, he was happy," she said.
Medici's services will start Wednesday. Then his family will bring him back to Brazil to be with his parents and the rest of his family.
