HUNDREDS of mourners have gathered to honour Charlize Zmuda, a 17-year-old surf lifesaver who was killed in a shark assault only a day earlier.

Holding a single candle, her dad Steve stood surrounded by household, associates, and well-wishers on Tuesday afternoon at Woorim Seaside, Queensland.

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Mourning the lack of his daughter, the grieving dad urged the group to not concern the seashore she cherished.

“Once I acquired the tragic information yesterday, I used to be extraordinarily gutted,” Mr Zmuda mentioned.

“However one thing that my spouse and I wish to say is we don’t need folks to cease coming to the seashore and having fun with our seashore.

“It’s a giant a part of our lives, we’ve acquired our household right here, our group, and we love all people right here.”

Charlize was swimming about 100 meters offshore at Woorim Seaside late Monday afternoon when she was bitten by a shark. 

Paramedics rushed into the water to assist her, however the teen suffered catastrophic upper-body accidents and tragically died on the scene.

The highschool senior had been on the seashore in Bribie Island with associates on the time of the assault.

Witness Chris Potter recalled listening to a piercing scream from the water, initially believing she had been caught in a rip.

“It was surprising,” he informed native outlet The Courier Mail.

Neighborhood in mourning

Charlize’s family members returned to Woorim Seaside on Tuesday morning to observe the dawn and lay flowers by the water.

They gathered once more later within the day, hugging one another, lighting candles, and paying tribute to the teenager.

“Please concentrate on the unimaginable life she lived and never the terrible means she died,” the household’s assertion learn.

Tributes have poured in from throughout the group and on social media.

“Relaxation in peace, lovely,” one particular person wrote on-line.

“Such a lovely, candy younger woman from a lovely household,” mentioned one other.

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A life devoted to the ocean

Charlize was well-known within the Bribie Island group.

A surf lifesaver because the age of eight, she was co-captain of the Bribie Island Surf Life Saving Membership and had not too long ago competed with the IRB crew on the Lifesaving World Championships.

“Charlize was a member of our membership since she was eight years previous,” her father mentioned.

“She was a devoted lifesaver who needed solely the very best for our membership and for all of our group.”

Her mum, Renee Zmuda, described Charlize as a free spirit who “touched the lives of everybody she met.”

“She cherished the seashore and it really was her happiest place on earth,” the household’s assertion learn.

Past lifesaving, Charlize was additionally a gifted musician.

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“She was the lead at St Columban’s Faculty as a singer … she was so musically gifted,” Mr Zmuda mentioned.

“She may hear a chunk of music after which … play it in a heartbeat. To have that expertise taken away proper now, that kills me.

Charlize had simply attended her college formal and accomplished her first day of Yr 12.

Every week earlier than her dying, she shared photographs of herself at Bribie Seaside, strumming a guitar by a campfire and driving waves with associates, Information.com.au reported.

Charlize’s deadly assault follows the dying of 28-year-old surfer Lance Appleby, who was killed by a shark off South Australia’s coast final month.

And in December, 40-year-old pastor Luke Walford was killed whereas spearfishing within the Southern Nice Barrier Reef close to Humpy Island.