Former Bondi Rescue lifeguard Matt Dee to be honoured with public celebration

Former Bondi Rescue lifeguard Matt Dee will be remembered with a touching public celebration of life just days after his sudden death.

The event will be held at 12pm on Saturday, September 12 at Bronte Beach, according to social media posts shared by his brand FTW Revolution late on Thursday night.

There will be a paddle out and Dee’s ashes will be spread in the ocean, where he spent much of his life.

After, there will be food, drinks, music and “memories of our great mate”.

The event is likely to be well-attended, with friends, family and fans expected to flock to one of Sydney’s most popular beaches to honour Dee, who died suddenly this week.

FTW Revolution announced his passing on Wednesday and tributes from those who knew Dee best flowed from the moment the news broke.

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Bondi Rescue lifeguard’s raw tribute to Matt Dee after sudden death: ‘Unashamedly Matt’

Fellow Bondi Rescue lifeguard Daniel ‘Beardy’ McLaughlin told nine.com.au “there really was no one quite like him”.

“Matt was such a good bloke, and it was an absolute privilege to call him a mate,” McLaughlin said.

“He had an incredibly unique sense of humour and an ability to lift any situation.

“It didn’t matter what was going on or what the mood was, Matt would find a way to spin it to where you were just laughing. He was one in a million.”

Close friend John Dwyer told nine.com.au Dee dedicated his life to helping others after losing his older brother Jonathan, known as ‘JD’, and younger sister Rachel to suicide months apart in 2009.

“Matty loved them both dearly, and their loss inspired him to become a passionate advocate for mental health and suicide prevention,” Dwyer said.

Dee started his company FTW Revolution, a clothing brand connected to Suicide Prevention Australia, in their honour.

“By bravely sharing his family’s story, he positively impacted the lives of so many people around the world,” Dwyer said of the selfless act.

Dee will be remembered on Saturday for saving lives on Sydney’s beaches, as well as through his advocacy work.

“He was one of the few people who had time for everyone including strangers or random people who he came across,” Fellow Bondi lifeguard Trent ‘Singlets’ Falson told nine.com.au.

“His work as a mental health campaigner was tireless and gave salvation to so many people across the world.”