‘Christmas won’t be the same’: Surfer killed in freak accident

The family of a man who was hit and killed by a boat propeller off Rottnest Island says Christmas will never be the same.

Father-of-three Terrence Wong went out to make the most of perfect surf conditions early on Boxing Day.

But the 37-year-old father never returned home after a large wave flipped Mr Wong’s boat and he was knocked in the head by the inflatable boat's rigid hull then struck by the propeller.

Mr Wong’s wife AnnLynn said she went into denial when police knocked on her door to deliver the terrible news.

“I don’t think Christmas will be the same,” Mrs Wong said.

“This will unfortunately be a hard time of year in the years to come.”

Mr Wong, a respected anaesthetist, was a regular surfer who’d taken the boat out at least 20 times to the Cathedral Rocks scene.

The 37-year-old’s friend, who was also knocked into the water, was taken to Fremantle for treatment.

Mrs Wong said she hopes she can now continue to keep her husband’s memory alive.

“I just want (my children) to know that Daddy loved them,” she said.

“They were just loved by him … so loved.”