Kriti Mehrotra
Netflix’s ‘Shark Whisperer’ is a documentary that delves deep into the way social media activist Ocean Ramsey changed the game of marine and shark conservation in a way no one could have imagined. It shines a light upon every aspect of her career, including the way she has had the unwavering support of her now-husband, Juan Oliphant, at every step of the way. Similarly, he got into conservation as a young man thanks to the unwavering love and support of both his parents, Marlu West (AKA Tutu) and Richard Oliphant.
Marlu West and Richard Oliphant Were Juan Oliphant’s Biggest Inspiration
Although Juan Oliphant was born in Mexico to Marlu West (AKA Tutu) and Richard Oliphant, he primarily grew up in O’ahu, Hawaii, as the family had relocated when he was merely 2 months old. He grew up as a surfer but also became rather terrified of sharks owing to the many horror stories he’d heard floating around in the community, as well as things he had seen on the news. His water-loving parents, though, reportedly believed differently. He eventually began seeing their perspective when he started freediving and realized there was a need to save these creatures.
That’s when Juan became determined to establish a career as an underwater camera operator and diver whose priority was to help others see that sharks are much more than just predators. His parents seemingly further motivated him to go down this path, with his mother’s motto of doing her best to one day leave this Earth better than she found it also admittedly sticking with him. According to records, Marlu endured a lot of hardship in her early years owing to polio, but as she grew up, found a safe space in her support system, and settled down in Hawaii for good, she managed to transform all her pain, grief, and anguish into sheer optimism.
It appears as if Marlu had a positive outlook on everything, thanks to her personal story of survival and resilience, upon finding solace in different outdoor activities as well as the nearby waters. Hence, she lived a full life by being not only a family woman devoted to all her kids but also a philanthropic entrepreneur — she established the Save The Sea Turtles International non-profit in 1991. She played a key role in helping turtles and ocean conservation in Hawaii. Even after she retired, the animal lover never hesitated to continue working towards these causes when needed.
Marlu West and Richard Oliphant Sadly Passed Away in 2022
From what we can tell, Marlu was perfectly content with her life until the end of her days. This is because, whether it be traveling to undertake new experiences, swimming in the ocean every day with her dogs, or caring for her people and environment, she did it all. On the flip side, not a lot is known about Richard’s personal or professional endeavors. In fact, all we know is that he likely resided in Oregon by the fall of 2022. We specify this period because that’s when both 76-year-old Hawaii native Marlu and 70-something Beaver State resident Richard sadly passed away within almost 24 hours. Nothing has been confirmed or denied as of writing, but it does appear as if they died of natural causes, with Marlu’s obituary reading that she left behind 3 sons and 4 grandkids.
Both Marlu and Richard actually passed away during the production of ‘Shark Whisperer,’ so they never got a chance to see it, but Juan knows they would have been proud of him. He has never really spoken up about their passing, except in one post from October 3, 2022, when he paid a candid tribute to them. He penned, “I lost both my parents last week almost on the same day. The following day I had the most amazing tiger shark dive with my team at One Ocean Diving. We had over eight tigers… Having a Native American background and being raised in Hawaii I connect to nature in a lot of different ways. Hawaiians Believe that family comes back in the form of an animal spirit… and in some American Indian beliefs some believe in totem animal guides… I love the idea that if we see our family in nature we will take better care to protect it. 🌳🪦 Gone but never forgotten. 🦈🐢”
Read More: Colin Cook: Where is the Shark Attack Survivor Now?
