Father, Friend Mourn Man Killed In Cape Cod Shark Attack
BOSTON (CBS) - Speaking to WBZ from Brazil, the father of the man killed in a shark attack Saturday says he doesn't know when he'll ever smile again. He's missed his boy for four years since Arthur Medici moved to the U.S., but the 26-year-old, hardworking and kind, made his family proud.
"I just heard happy news about him all the time," Itamar Medici said through a translator.
That grief spans thousands of miles. Here in Massachusetts, friend Isaac Rocha clings to this memory - smiling in the sand during Arthur's final hours.
"I'm pretty sure he died in my arms," Rocha said. "It was very difficult."
Their weekend that started so happily, ended in terrible tragedy.
"I just saw him go under the water and popped back up," Rocha said. "Heard him screaming. Saw the shark's tail and I saw a lot of blood in the water."
As a crowd rushed Arthur up the beach, Isaac held on to his faith, but feared the worst.
"He had already lost all his blood in the water," Rocha said. "He wasn't bleeding anymore,"
His loved ones now mourn the joy that's been stolen from them, a wedding and a reunion trip planned for February. Arthur's parents in Brazil are searching for comfort in bringing him home, to be laid to rest.
"We all want him here," Itamar Medici said.
A local 'celebration of life' is scheduled for Wednesday in Saugus. This weekend in Brazil, Arthur's family will attend a boarding championship, where they plan to release flowers into the ocean for their son and friend.
