‘I Think We’ll Be OK’: Family In Mourning After Sacramento Man Killed In Christmas Eve Morro Bay Shark Attack

MORRO BAY (CBS13) — Sacramento nonmigratory Tomas Butterfield was attacked and killed by a shark connected Christmas eve portion surfing adjacent Morro Bay.

The surfer was successful the country visiting household for the holidays. The quality was shocking for family, including Tomas’ uncle, Grant Butterfield, who was celebrating astatine a Christmas eve meal enactment erstwhile helium got a telephone from Tomas’ father.

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“I thought helium was calling to privation maine a merry Christmas. The archetypal happening helium says is we’ve mislaid Tom,” Grant said.

His nephew was dead.

“I thought ‘Oh my, car crash, bosom attack,’ I hadn’t a clue. I was conscionable successful daze myself,” Grant said.

The daze grew erstwhile helium learned however Tomas’s beingness ended

Grant said Tomas was visiting his parent successful Morro Bay and spent Christmas Eve greeting successful the ocean.

“Tomas decided helium would instrumentality his boogie committee retired and instrumentality a dip successful the water earlier his member got there,” Granny said.

Morro Bay Harbor Director Eric Endersby said a chap surfer recovered Butterfield’s committee bobbing. She followed the board’s leash down to his assemblage and dragged him onto the beach, but it was excessively late.

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Tomas went to precocious schoolhouse successful Alaska and yet moved to California. He was surviving successful Sacramento and moving for his begetter erstwhile helium died.

The household is near with a question.

“How agelong are the likelihood for thing similar this?” Grant said.

According to California State University, Long Beach, the chances of being attacked and killed by a shark are 1-in-3.75 million.

Grant told america Tomas’ parent and brother, Ben, are devastated and leaning connected the religion for peace. Tomas’ father, who’s recovering from the Christmas eve snowstorm successful Colfax, is simply getting by.

“I’m definite anytime helium sits down, it’s moving connected him,” Grant said.

The household is uncovering solace successful knowing Tomas was doing thing helium loved.

“The kid had brackish h2o successful his veins. I deliberation we’ll each beryllium OK,” Grant said.

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The California Department of Fish and Wildlife was capable to instrumentality measurements of the wound marks near connected Tomas’ assemblage but person not yet released their findings. Though, Endersby says the attacker was apt a large achromatic shark.

Laura Haefeli