An anonymous $100,000 donation landed on the morning of the report as the online fundraiser for Steven Mattaboni surged past $317,660, more than halfway to its $500,000 target. The money is being raised for his wife, Shirene, and their two young daughters after Mattaboni was killed in a shark attack off Rottnest Island on Saturday.

Mattaboni, 38, was spearfishing with friends near Horseshoe Reef, about 1km north-west of Rottnest, when he was attacked in the water. His friends rushed him to Geordie Bay jetty and performed CPR before paramedics took over. The fundraiser, started by a friend of Mrs Mattaboni, has become the centre of the family’s support network as messages and donations continue to pour in.

The page described Steven as “truly one of a kind — a loving husband, devoted father, and an incredibly kind and genuine man who brought warmth and happiness to those around him,” and said he “absolutely adored his girls and was the most amazing dad.” It added, “No family should ever have to face such an unimaginable tragedy, especially so suddenly.”

That grief has spread beyond the family. Kingsley Football Club said Mattaboni “meant so much to so many within our community,” remembering him as a premiership player. The club also said any contribution, “no matter how big or small,” would go directly to supporting his young family in the months and years ahead.

Those donations are arriving against the backdrop of a life that had already been building toward its next chapter. Mattaboni worked as a surveyor, and he and Shirene founded Casana Studio, a furniture and homewares business, from their garage. The couple had recently marked 10 years together before welcoming their second daughter in January.

Mrs Mattaboni said, “Our hearts are irrevocably broken by the loss of Steven, known affectionately to his mates as Mattas.” Friends and supporters have remembered him as an experienced fisherman and passionate spearfisherman who lived and breathed the ocean, a portrait that makes the suddenness of his death harder to absorb.

The fundraising total now reflects both the scale of the loss and the speed with which the community has moved to help. With more than $317,660 already pledged, the immediate question is not whether support exists, but how far it will go in carrying Shirene and her daughters through the months ahead.