KEY POINTS:
Sonny Fai's cousins desperately wanted to know how the Warriors trained, so the 20-year-old who "always put others first" took them to Bethells Beach to show them how it was done.
But their dream Sunday outing turned to tragedy when four of the group decided to end their day with a swim at the rugged coastal beach on Auckland's west coast.
Fai's younger brother became separated from the group of four who jumped into the water, and got into
difficulty.
He got caught in a rip and Fai jumped in to try to save his brother.
The other three made it back to the beach unharmed but Fai was swept away. He has not been seen since about 8pm on Sunday night and is presumed drowned.
His girlfriend, Jenna Frost, a 2007 Miss Samoa NZ contestant, watched Fai's rescue efforts. She said it was heart-wrenching and she felt totally helpless as she watched the waves sweeping him away.
"I felt like I wanted to jump in there to get him myself," said Ms Frost, breaking down in tears.
Fai's uncle, Puna Asalele, said the rugby league rising star had gone to his auntie's house on Sunday afternoon when his cousins started asking him how the Warriors trained.
"Like Sonny, his cousins are all Warriors fans and were thrilled when he told them he'd take them out to Bethells Beach," Mr Asalele said.
"I was totally shocked when I received a phone call from Sonny's mother that night to say he was swept out to sea."
Mr Asalele said it had always been Fai's dream to play for the Warriors. He had been a fan "ever since he was a kid".
Dean Storey, spokesman for Surf Life Saving NZ, said a member of the public alerted an off-duty lifeguard that four men had been swept out to sea.
The conditions were rough, with a 1.5m swell, and two inflatable boats and a Westpac Rescue Helicopter had been used in the search for Fai.
His sister, Lalelei Fai, said family members had searched the beach until 2am yesterday, when they were told to go home, but returned at 5am to find that others from the Warriors had already started scouring the coastline for Fai.
Ms Fai said Sonny was someone who always put others before himself, and described him as her parents' right-hand man.
"I wish that it was me, and not him, that had gone missing," said a tearful Ms Fai.
She said the extra training session he made on the beach on Sunday ahead of the Warriors' first training session of the season, which was scheduled to start yesterday morning, was typical of his "hard work ethic".
Yesterday the Warriors did not train. The 40-strong squad, including team manager Don Mann and former All Blacks coach John Hart, joined the family and church members in a huge search for their missing mate.
The players were back at Bethell's this morning to rejoin the search.
Mr Mann said the players were devastated and the team had paid for a helicopter to conduct an aerial search across the vast coastline.
A police boat was also used in the search yesterday, until it was called off at 1pm due to a change in the tide.
A former coach of Fai last night paid tribute to "a humble kind of person who never talks himself up and is always willing to put others first".
Others spoke of a kind-hearted man and the rock of his family who rarely missed a day of church.
Fai's Mangere East Hawks coach, Roy Chan, said Fai was your typical Polynesian kid.
"I heard he went to help someone out before he went missing, that's just typical Sonny, always helping others."
Mr Chan came across the robust Fai when he was aged 17, although he'd seen the standout young player making his mark in the junior grades in Auckland rugby league for many years.
He played in the second row that day in 2005.
"He only ever played one game for us then he went straight into Bartercard (Cup) for the (Counties Manukau) Jets."
"He always had the skills but it was his attitude. He was always destined for the NRL, if it wasn't the Warriors some other club would have snapped him up."
The NRL today joined the rugby league community in offering support for the family and friends of Fai.
"Sonny's an emerging star in the game and this tragedy has shocked us all," NRL chief executive David Gallop said today.
"Our thoughts are with Sonny's family, friends and the Warriors club at this difficult time."
The NRL has offered grief counselling services for Fai's family and friends and the Warriors.
Yesterday, members of the Samoan Methodist Church in Otahuhu congregation helped with the search or prayed for their friend and relative.
"He was always involved with the youth groups and always went to church, he never missed a day ... he was a very good boy," said Mr Asalele.
Lalelei said her brother's actions were typical.
"He's my rock ... he's my whole heart," she said. "He's there for my family."
The rising star's former principal, Brother Steve Hogan of De La Salle College, said he had visited his old pupil's family yesterday to offer his support.
He said it was a "difficult time" for all concerned.
Family and friends refused yesterday to give up hope that Fai will be found alive.
The search will resume at first light this morning.
- additional reporting NZPA
