Those who knew her believe that in her final moments, she likely confronted the shark with grace, recognizing that it was merely acting on instinct. Throughout her 17 years swimming off Jager’s Walk, she had met dolphins, seals, and even whales — and she was always conscious that sharks were part of that ecosystem.
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“We feel the way she departed is the completion of a circle. That the sea took her is the spiritual culmination of her entire life. You know, she swam in that sea for 17 years,” a friend remarked at her memorial service at St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town.
Tyna regarded the ocean as her home, showing reverence for all its inhabitants, including sharks. She also hosted full moon gatherings for friends at her blue-and-white apartment with a view of the sea.
Many who attended her service suggested that her departure had a mythical essence — she had been embraced by the very waters she cherished, bringing to a close the narrative of a life fully experienced.
