Hundreds of mourners gathered on Tuesday at a memorial service to celebrate the life of Steven Mattaboni, a 38-year-old father of two who was tragically killed in a shark attack while spearfishing with friends off Western Australia's Rottnest Island on May 16.
His wife Shirene and their young daughters — a three-year-old toddler and a five-month-old baby — were among those at Optus Stadium's River View Room in Perth for a service honoring the life of a man described as a "devoted" father who was "fiercely loyal and endlessly generous."
Friends and family stood in silence as the hearse passed through a guard of honour, paying their final respects to the beloved father.
A Heartbreaking Loss
In the days following her husband's death, Shirene Mattaboni expressed the family's profound grief. "Our hearts are irrevocably broken by the loss of Steven," she said. "Steven was a devoted father to our two beautiful daughters. An avid fisherman and spearfisherman, who lived and breathed the ocean."
She added that the "world has lost a truly one-of-a-kind gentleman, and our daughters have lost an incredible father far too soon."
Remembering a Life Lived for the Ocean
Those closest to Mattaboni remembered him as a talented fisherman and conservationist whose "first great love was the ocean." His best friend Liam Thomas shared heartfelt memories, saying, "Steve would absolutely want us to continue enjoying the ocean the way that he did, but also encouraging his beautiful girls to enjoy the water like he did as well."
Loved ones emphasized that Mattaboni should be remembered for the person he was, not just how he died. "Steve truly was the type of person that would give the shirt off his back," Thomas said. "Steve loved entertaining, he loved hosting, he loved eating great food with his family and friends and he just wanted to be remembered as a kind, genuine, loving person."
A Community's Support
A GoFundMe campaign set up to support Mattaboni's family described him as a "one-of-a-kind" surveyor and a "genuine man who brought warmth and happiness to those around him." The fundraiser has drawn widespread support from the community.
Tuesday's service comes just three days after another fatal shark attack off Albany, where Daniel Turpin was also spearfishing when he was taken by a 4.5-meter shark. The back-to-back tragedies have sent shockwaves through the spearfishing community and beyond.
