Shark victim Nico Antic’s school asked every student to choose a personal value they wished to be identified by. His choice was telling

Shark victim Nico Antic’s school has paid tribute to the late 12-year-old with a telling story about his virtue.

Last year, Rose Bay Secondary College asked all students to choose a personal value they wished to be identified by.

Nico chose bravery.

The school is now urging surfers and swimmers to return to the water to commemorate the schoolboy, after he was bitten near a popular swimming spot at Vaucluse in Sydney‘s east, and died on Saturday.

In memory of the 12-year-old, the school has organised a community paddle out on Sunday morning at North Bondi.

‘Nico was a happy, vibrant and social young person – widely known and deeply loved by a large network of friends,’ the school said in a statement posted to social media.

‘He brought warmth, energy and kindness to those around him and will be remembered for the joy he shared so freely.

‘Nico will be deeply missed.’

Nico Antic, centre, in a tribute shared by his North Bondi SLSC Nippers club
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Nico Antic, centre, in a tribute shared by his North Bondi SLSC Nippers club

Nico Antic chose bravery as the personal value he wished to be identified by
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Nico Antic chose bravery as the personal value he wished to be identified by

The school highlighted his sporting achievements, noting he held its under 12 boys’ 800m athletics record.

His parents have remembered their son as a ‘happy, friendly and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit, while his rugby club, the Easts Junior Beasties, described him as fearless and ‘forever tough’.

One of the schoolmates who pulled Nico from Sydney Harbour told 7News on Friday that he was proud of his fight for life.

‘He kept fighting and breathing in my arms and he never gave up for a second,’ the friend said.

‘He’s the most stubborn person I know.’

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Nico was one of four people attacked by sharks off NSW beaches in the span of two days and his death was the first fatal shark attack inside Sydney Harbour in more than 60 years.

Surfer Mercury Psillakis, 57, was also fatally bitten by a shark at Sydney’s Long Reef beach in September.

After the spate of incidents, an extra $4.2 million was added to NSW beach safety programs, including shark tagging and monitoring and the installation of listening stations in the harbour.

Drone patrols will be extended to seven days a week through to the end of the April school holidays, covering 30 more beaches in Sydney and along the NSW coast.