Nico Antic, the 12-year-old boy who was critically injured in a shark attack at a Sydney beach, has sadly passed away in hospital.

Nico was attacked by a suspected bull shark on Sunday January 19 while jumping off a rock face at Neilson Park, near Shark Beach in Vaucluse in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. His friends immediately and bravely went to his aid, pulling him from the water and raising the alarm, but Nico suffered severe injuries to both legs and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.

In a statement released by Nico’s parents, Lorena and Juan Antic said they were “heartbroken” to share the news of their son’s death.

“Nico was a happy, friendly, and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit,” they said. “He was always full of life and that’s how we’ll remember him.”

They thanked first responders and medical staff at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, for their efforts to save their son, and expressed gratitude to the wider community for its support and messages of condolence.

“We ask you please respect our privacy during this exceptionally difficult time,” the statement said.

Tributes have also flowed from Nico’s friends, with one posting an image of a bouquet of flowers online accompanied by the words, “long live Nico”.

The friend who pulled Nico from the water said he was proud of how long the boy fought. “He kept fighting and breathing in my arms and he never gave up for a second,” the friend said. “He was the most stubborn person I know and I’m grateful I was there for his last moments awake.

“There was a brief second where Nico woke up while he was bleeding and he just looked at me and then stopped and I thought I lost him, and I’m so surprised he fought for so long.”

Nico remained in intensive care for days in critical condition on life support, while doctors administered additional transfusions and performed brain surgery in an effort to relieve swelling and bleeding. However, by Saturday he was declared brain-dead due to complications from his injuries, with his family later making the heartbreaking decision to withdraw life support.

Nico, a junior lifesaver, was the first of four people involved in shark incidents on NSW beaches within a 48-hour period following last weekend’s wild weather.

On Monday, 27-year-old surfer and musician Andre De Ruyter was attacked at a Manly beach. He was pulled to shore by fellow surfers and taken to hospital in a critical condition, where part of his lower right leg was amputated. He is now in a stable condition. Earlier that day at nearby Dee Why Beach, an 11-year-old surfer had his board bitten by a shark, prompting the closure of beaches across the area.

The following day, 39-year-old Paul Zvirzdinas was surfing at Point Plomer, north of Port Macquarie, when a shark bit his board and wetsuit. He managed to paddle to shore and sustained only minor injuries. He has since been discharged from hospital.

On Saturday morning, a further shark sighting at Manly led to another beach closure just hours after patrols had begun for the day.

Member for Vaucluse, Kellie Sloane, said the community was mourning the loss of a “life taken far too soon”.

She thanked the first responders and Nico’s friends for doing “everything they could to help their mate”.

“Like so many of our kids, Nico was enjoying the beach on a beautiful Sunday afternoon – doing what generations of local kids have done before him, having fun at Jump Rock,” Ms Sloane said in a statement.

“My thoughts remain with Nico’s loved ones, and with everyone who has been affected by this heartbreaking incident.”

A fundraising page set up by a friend of Nico’s family is very close to reaching its target of $250,000.

NSW Police said a report will be prepared for the coroner, and authorities continue to monitor conditions along the NSW coastline as communities mourn the loss of a young life.