Fundraiser launched for family of Maui shark bite victim Jay Carter of Haʻikū

A fundraiser has been set up to help the family of Jason “Jay” Carter, the 39-year-old resident of Haʻikū who died Dec. 30 from a shark bite while surfing at Pāʻia Bay on the North Shore of Maui.

“Jay Carter was the most amazing man any of us have ever met. He was truly everything to everyone,” wrote his friend Megan Barber in a GoFundMe post.

The Maui resident is trying to raise $10,000 to give to Carter’s family for memorial and other expenses.

Carter and many others were surfing in high wave conditions on the morning of Dec. 30 at the popular spot.

Authorities said he was bitten by a shark at about 11:12 a.m. About seven minutes later, the Maui Police Department said its officers responded to the beach area of 93 Hāna Highway in Pāʻia.

Maui Fire and Ocean Safety officers already had removed Carter from the water via a Jet Ski and initiated medical care along with EMS, according to the Maui Fire Department.

Carter was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

According to his Facebook page, Carter loved all kinds of adventure, including snow sports. He had worked at ski resorts in Colorado and Oregon.

“Jay lived his life to the absolute fullest,” Barber wrote. “He loved the snow, the ocean, his family and his friends.”

She also said his carpentry skills were unsurpassed and he could fix just about anything.

“Jay would spend all day helping a friend in need, or a stranger on the side of the road,” she said. “He was always prepared for anything. At the beach, or in the mountain, Jay was your man. He was kind, generous, intelligent, creative, forever adventurous and full of love.”