Steven Mattaboni’s wife emotionally left this tribute after the shark attack turned her family life upside down. But the words from the end of those five words when he walked out of the house still haunt her to this day.

On Saturday morning, May 16, 2026, Steven “Mattas” Mattaboni kissed his wife Shirene and their two young daughters goodbye and headed out the door for a spearfishing trip with friends off Rottnest Island. It was a familiar routine for the 38-year-old Perth surveyor — a morning immersed in the ocean he adored. Those final moments at the threshold of their northern suburbs home, the casual exchange before he left, now replay endlessly in Shirene’s mind. What were meant to be ordinary parting words have become a haunting echo amid unimaginable grief.

Hours later, a great white shark attacked Mattaboni at Horseshoe Reef, about one kilometre offshore. His friends pulled him from the water, performed CPR on the racing boat toward Geordie Bay jetty, and emergency services fought desperately to save him. Despite their efforts, he could not be revived. The dad-of-two was gone — taken by the sea that had always brought him joy.

In the days since, Shirene Mattaboni, a clinical nurse specialist, has tried to find words for a loss that feels impossible. Amid her public statement of heartbreak, she has also shared deeply personal reflections that speak to eternal love and the hope of reunion beyond this life. “If there’s a next life, let’s meet again,” carries the weight of a wife facing a future she never imagined without her husband.

A Devastating Loss for a Young Family

Steven Mattaboni leaves behind Shirene and their two daughters — one turning three next month and a four-month-old baby. The family home, once filled with his presence, now holds the silence of absence. Shirene’s full public tribute captured the man behind the tragedy:

“Our hearts are irrevocably broken by the loss of Steven, known affectionately to his mates as Mattas. Steven was a devoted father to our two beautiful daughters… An avid fisherman and spearfisherman, who lived and breathed the ocean, he was always in tune with the sea. He was fiercely loyal, endlessly generous, and the kind of man who would give you the shirt off his back. The world has lost a truly one-of-a-kind gentleman, and our daughters have lost an incredible father far too soon.”

She has thanked the friends who fought to save him, the paramedics and police who continued resuscitation at the jetty, and the broader community for its outpouring of support. Yet privately, the final words exchanged as he walked out the door that Saturday morning continue to haunt her — ordinary, loving, and now painfully final.

The Morning That Changed Everything

Mattaboni had joined experienced friends for a spearfishing outing at Horseshoe Reef. Around 9:55–10 a.m., while on the surface about 20 metres from the boat, a great white shark estimated at four metres (13 feet) struck, inflicting horrific injuries to his lower legs. His companions acted immediately, pulling him aboard and racing toward shore while performing CPR. Witnesses on Rottnest Island watched the rescue boat approach Geordie Bay, emergency activity unfolding in real time against the backdrop of turquoise waters and holiday calm.

People gathered along the shoreline, staring out at the waterline in stunned disbelief as news spread. The contrast was stark: Rottnest’s famed beauty — white sands, quokkas, relaxed vibe — shattered by sudden tragedy just offshore. Ferries kept running, but an air of solemn reflection settled over the island.

Remembering a Genuine Soul

Beyond his work as a surveyor, Steven Mattaboni was deeply involved in his communities. He served as secretary of the Bluewater Freedivers of Western Australia spearfishing club and was a premiership player with the Kingsley Football Club. Teammates described him as one of the most genuine people you could meet — warm, loyal, with a smile that lit up any room.

For Mattaboni, the ocean was a passion that defined much of his life. Spearfishing demanded skill, fitness, and respect for the marine environment — qualities he embodied. Friends say he understood the risks but found profound fulfillment in those waters. That love now stands as both a celebration of his spirit and a painful reminder of what was taken.

A Community United in Grief

Tributes have flooded in from across Western Australia. Political leaders, including Premier Roger Cook, described the incident as deeply distressing. Sporting clubs, spearfishing colleagues, and everyday people have shared memories of Mattaboni’s character and the devastating impact on his young family. Emergency services personnel, who faced a confronting scene at the jetty, have been thanked for their compassion and professionalism.

On Rottnest Island, visitors and locals continue to process the event. Some still find themselves pausing at the shoreline, looking out toward Horseshoe Reef, trying to reconcile the paradise with the loss. The bravery of Mattaboni’s friends — who never gave up on the boat — has been highlighted as a testament to mateship.

Broader Context of Coexistence with the Ocean

This was Western Australia’s first fatal shark attack since March 2025. Great whites, protected since 1997, are apex predators essential to healthy marine ecosystems. While encounters remain statistically rare, activities like spearfishing occur in environments where such risks, though low, exist. Experts and community groups advocate for education, safety measures, and respectful coexistence.

For the Mattaboni family, statistics offer little comfort. Shirene faces the task of raising their daughters without the father who adored them. The four-month-old will know him only through stories and photos, while the nearly three-year-old will carry early memories alongside the ache of absence.

Hope Across Lifetimes

In her most personal reflections, Shirene’s words reach beyond the immediate pain: “If there’s a next life, let’s meet again.” They speak to a love that death cannot fully sever — a promise of reunion, a quiet defiance against finality. Those five ordinary words spoken as Steven walked out the door that morning now carry eternal weight, but they are framed by the enduring bond the couple shared.

Steven Mattaboni lived fully — as a devoted husband, passionate waterman, loyal friend, and proud father. His legacy will live on in his daughters’ lives, in the memories of those he touched, and in the stories told around campfires and on boats for years to come.

As Western Australia mourns, support continues to surround the Mattaboni family. Shirene’s courage in sharing both public tributes and deeply private emotions offers a glimpse into the strength required to face such a profound loss. The ocean claimed her husband too soon, but the love they built — and the hope of meeting again — remains.

May Steven “Mattas” Mattaboni rest in peace. To his wife and daughters: your words and your love echo far beyond this moment. In this life and the next.