Twin of Sydney shark attack victim shares ‘telepathic’ text exchanges after Long Reef death

Mike Psillakis, the twin brother of a man killed in a shark attack off Sydney’s Northern Beaches, has published screenshots of text exchanges he described as “telepathic” in the days before the death.

Mercury “Merc” Psillakis, 57, was attacked about 100 metres off Long Reef Beach on Sept. 7 and died at the scene, authorities and local witnesses said. In an Instagram post following the incident, Mike shared messages the brothers had sent almost simultaneously and wrote that such matched messages were common between them.

In one screenshot Mike posted, he texted that he had “drove past Curly. Looks like a wave,” and Mercury replied a second later asking, “What’s Curly like?” Mike then wrote, “Wow. I sent your answer before you sent the question.” In another exchange the pair reportedly sent the phrase “glimpse between the trees” at exactly the same time. Mike described their bond as unbreakable and called his brother’s death “the hardest moment of my life.”

The posts drew hundreds of comments from friends, neighbours and members of the surf community offering condolences and recalling the brothers’ close relationship. Mike, a surfboard shaper known locally for Psillakis Surfboards, urged people to tell loved ones they were cared for, saying his brother’s message was to “live life with pure passion.”

Local surf figures and witnesses described the circumstances of the attack. Mercury Psillakis, who was a familiar figure on the Northern Beaches surf scene and active in local competitions, was with a group of surfers when he spotted a large shark and shouted to warn others, according to a close friend and former professional surfer, Toby Martin. Martin said the shark breached from behind and struck, a pattern he described as a “worst-case scenario” because attacks more commonly approach from the side.

Two lifeguards carried Mercury’s torso to shore, Martin and other witnesses said. Authorities and witnesses said no resuscitation was attempted at the scene because the injuries were immediately fatal. The attack prompted tributes from locals and renewed scrutiny of ocean safety arrangements along neighbouring beaches.

Long Reef sits a few hundred metres north of Dee Why Beach, which is protected by shark nets. Long Reef does not have nets in place. Sydney’s last recorded fatal shark attack occurred in 2022, when a diver was killed at Little Bay.

Mercury Psillakis was married; his wife, Maria Psillakis, works as a real estate agent in Brookvale. Friends and community members remembered him for competitive surfing achievements as well as for his warmth and generosity in and out of the water.

Mike’s social media posts also described the immediate outpouring of support following the attack, with commenters offering condolences and reflecting on the twins’ long-standing connection. "Can't break a connection like that. He may be physically gone but will never be gone," one commenter wrote.

New South Wales authorities and Surf Life Saving representatives routinely advise beachgoers on risk-reduction measures, including avoiding dawn and dusk swimming, staying in groups, and adhering to local warnings and patrols. Long Reef is a popular reef break frequented by surfers and bodyboarders; the presence or absence of mitigation measures such as nets and drumlines varies by location and is determined through assessments of environmental impact and risk.

The death has reverberated through the Northern Beaches surf community, which is tightly knit and regularly shares information about conditions, safety and local marine life. Friends said Mercury tried to keep the group together at the back of the pack in his final moments, and several people who posted condolences praised his effort to warn others.

Authorities have not released further operational details about the response or an investigation into the attack. Local agencies typically review incidents involving sharks to inform public safety decisions and to monitor shark activity in the area.

The family asked for privacy as they made funeral arrangements and processed the loss, and community members organised tributes at local beaches in the days after the attack. Mike Psillakis wrote in one post that their shared messages served as “another telepathic message” and reiterated a call to loved ones to “hold them tight.”