It was revealed yesterday that Brazilian surfer Pilinio Lattanzi, who has lived in Maui since 1990, died of a heart attack while surfing at Honolua Bay in Maui on Saturday, January 12.

According to locals and friends who were present in the water, his farewell was both tragic and special for a community that greatly appreciated him.

Local Bobby Burrer shared his last wave with him, as he told Stab, Lattanzi asked him: “Are you going?”, and he replied: “Only if you go too.” And the Brazilian said with an accent: “Then let’s go!”

The waves were perfect, 6 to 8 feet, on one of the best right-handers in the world.

"It was beautiful, double, wide open. He went into the tube in The Cave section and passed it. For a second I saw what he was seeing and it was beyond epic. There are no other words to describe how beautiful it was!

“He then came back to the lineup and sat down next to Randy ‘Goose’ Welch, Coconut Willy and Kala Willard. Goose looked at him and asked if he was okay and his eyes rolled back and he fell face down. Welch was the first one to get to him and all the guys went to help and started paddling from the lineup to shore. Meanwhile, Will Hunt was giving him first aid in the water and Goose yelled to me as he climbed up the cliff and asked me to get someone to call 911,” Burrer said, immediately getting the call made.

Kale Boverman and others then organized a rescue line up the classic Honolua cliff. About 60 people participated and it was, for Burrer, “the best teamwork for a rescue” he has ever seen. “I am very grateful to be part of this community. Everyone deserves a reward for having the initiative and acting so quickly under such a chaotic situation,” Burrer concluded.

Rescue efforts continued in a safe area, but Lattanzi could not be saved.

Everyone says that the Brazilian was a much-loved member of his community.

A sign was posted at the base of the Honolua Bay cliff that reads: “Parking reserved for Brother Pilinio. Honolua Bay, January 12, 2019.”

Lattanzi was the father of waterman Kalani, the young man who went bodysurfing in Nazaré and also rode some waves there.