Surrounded by friends, family and the people who loved her son most, Petra and the northern suburbs community were doing just that on Friday.

Hundreds of surfers, artists and friends lined the beach at Thirroul to remember Petra's son Ty, a 25-year-old graphic artist and passionate surfer who died in an accident on Picton Road in 2020.

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On a sunny Good Friday, the community gathered for the Steel City Surf Classic, organised by Ty Delaney's family and 10 of his closest friends.

Eighty surfers competed for the second year running, with live painting, food and music to entertain the crowds.

As surfers carved out waves in the background, a group of artists leaned up against the fence working on canvases, creating pieces inspired by their memories of Ty.

Petra said the event was a chance for the community to lean on each other after devastating loss.

"We've had two more boys pass away since Ty, who were really strong community members and the same age, so the community needed to heal," she said.

"You don't heal overnight, but this is just a small part of it, and for me, it was just about getting everyone together."

Petra's hard work is at the centre of this community-people seem to revolve around her, pulling her aside for hugs, jokes and stories.

After the success of last year's event, she created a commemorative book, with pictures of every surfer that competed.

The pages are filled with smiling, sun-tanned faces of young men and women who came together to remember her son.

"I sort of feel it's a snapshot in time," she said.

"If we do this for the next five years, hopefully there'll be five of these and I think that's so special, even if the boys just give them to their mothers," she laughed.

Nick Peatman, one of the event organisers, said they couldn't have picked a better day.

"We've got another beautiful day with even better waves this year. We're counting our lucky stars that Ty sent them down," he said.

"He would have been stoked. He would have loved something like this."

Summer Cahill, a seventeen-year-old surfer that competed on Friday, said the day was a huge success.

Summer's brother and sister were close friends with Ty, and her brother passed away a few months ago.

"It's such a good turnout, with so many great mates around us," she said.

"And the surf is pumping."

The event raised money for several initiatives, including a free resilience workshop that will run for the community in May, addressing ways to deal with grief.

Funds will also go to the Bulli High arts department and a fund for several young surfers to attend a five-day sports camp.