KEY POINTS:
Jude Esselbrugge was excited about leaving home to go flatting with three of his great mates in the next few weeks.
Instead, the 20-year-old's cliff jump into Lake Karapiro at the weekend ended his life.
However, his parents believe he is now an even better place than home.
Ron Esselbrugge, Jude's father, said: "We have no doubt in our faith that Jude's with our Lord now, no doubt at all.
"Like all other young fellas at that age, he was a work in progress. He was testing a few things out like most kids, but at the end of the day he had a deep love for our Lord."
His mother Anneke said one of her son's greatest attributes was his loyalty, but he also had a mischievous side. "He liked playing practical jokes, he loved having people on."
He was an apprentice cabinet-maker and his employers had described him as an excellent worker, Mrs Esselbrugge said.
The funeral is planned for Saturday to allow 23-year-old brother Jeremy to make a flight back from Spain. There are two other brothers, Ishmael, 24, and Caleb, 18.
Jude Esselbrugge's girlfriend Sally Nixon said her fondest memories of him would be his laid-back nature. "He never had a care in the world ... he was always happy and had a big smile."
Friends Mark Townsend and Campbell Lee said a highlight of the summer had been travelling to the Coromandel discovering places to pitch a tent.
Another highlight had been the Big Day Out concert, where their friend got to enjoy his favourite band, Tool.
Mr Esselbrugge said his son was a thoughtful person. . He "ran deep" and spent much time thinking about life and his Christian faith.
The family and friends gathered following the discovery of the body yesterday. Police divers prepared in the morning before taking to the murky waters of Lake Karapiro. They found the body within minutes.
Two uncles stood arm-in-arm watching at the spot from which jumped.
The former student of Hamilton's Melville High School student leaped from the 20m-high cliff above Lake Karapiro on Sunday afternoon with a friend.
The men's girlfriends watched in horror as only one of the young men resurfaced. The witnesses accompanied police yesterday morning to Keeley's Landing to pinpoint where their friend had entered the water.
Detective Constable Slade Sturmey, of Wellington, who led the dive team, said Mr Esselbrugge's body was found at a depth of 21.3m.
"There are trees down there that have fallen in to the lake ... that's basically where the danger comes in.
"The debris is rotting, and some of the trees are standing upright, they are at about 15m."
The silt and debris had reduced visibility to almost nothing, Mr Sturmey said.
"It's not a nice job but it's a good result for us as we're returning a body to a family.
"We're bringing him home for them."
Mr Esselbrugge had often made the jump from Keeley's Landing, and many of his friends had also risked the same thing.
He was a confident swimmer and had regularly swum in the Waikato River.
