Almost a week after Steven Mattaboni set out on a fishing trip from which he would never return, his grief-stricken family and friends have shared memories of the “charismatic, loyal, funny” man they lost. The Perth surveyor, a keen spearfisher and conservationist, was attacked by a shark near Rottnest Island last Saturday.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the tragedy, his lifelong mate Liam Thomas said they wanted him to be remembered for so much more than the way he died. Mr Mattaboni’s wife, Shirene, and their two young daughters were joined by other family members and close friends at his favourite Sorrento beach on Friday to pay tribute.
Mr Thomas, who had been friends with Mr Mattaboni since they were five years old in pre-primary, said he had two great loves in his life — the ocean and “his girls”. His eldest daughter is just weeks away from her third birthday, the youngest only four months old. “He was just so proud of his two beautiful daughters and everything that he did for them, and everything he worked for, was for them,” Mr Thomas said. “And our heart just absolutely breaks for the daughters and particularly his wife, Shirene.”
The grieving group wanted others to know what a “loving, kind and genuine” person he had been, beyond the shocking headlines. “It’s really important for us to disconnect Steven from what took place last Saturday,” Mr Thomas said. “For us, Steven was a much-loved husband, a father, a son, a brother, and a part of a really tight-knit family. And he was a friend to so many. The reason why we loved him was because he had all these amazing attributes and values — he was charismatic, loyal, funny, hard working and had so many wonderful qualities.”
Mr Mattaboni, 38, set off with friends on Saturday to go spearfishing at Horseshoe Reef, about 1km north-west of Rottnest Island. A four-metre shark, believed to be a great white, attacked just before 10am. His friends dragged him into a boat and rushed him to the Geordie Bay jetty, but waiting paramedics were unable to save him.
Mr Thomas said the fishing and diving expedition on Saturday was something that Mr Mattaboni — who was secretary of the spearfishing club Bluewater Freedivers WA — and his friends had done “thousands of times before”. “Steve loved the ocean and he respected the ocean and Steve was really passionate about conservation and conserving the ocean for future generations,” he said. “Steve didn’t understand the danger that he was in on that day.”
His family and friends believed Mr Mattaboni had been given the “best possible chance of survival” and thanked everyone who responded to the incident. They were also grateful for the heartfelt support that Shirene, a nurse, had received from the nursing community. The tragedy has prompted an outpouring of support for the bereaved family, with an online fundraiser topping more than $375,000. “The generosity of the public has just been absolutely amazing,” Mr Thomas said. “And it’s going to make such a difference for his beautiful little girls.”
Mr Thomas said Rottnest had been a special place for Mr Mattaboni — who was known affectionately to his mates as “Mattas” — and it would always hold a special place in their hearts. “We’ll continue to visit Rottnest, we’ll continue to remember Steve at Rottnest,” he said.
