Slipping away: Mother tells of son's last moments

Luisa Faitaua holds a photograph of her son Johnny Faitaua as the family prepares for his funeral on Tuesday. Pihoto / Dean Purcell

The last moments of Johnny Faitaua's life - laughing and shirtless in the sunshine - were captured on film by his girlfriend, Hannah Elise, as the couple enjoyed a day at O'Neill Bay beach in West Auckland.

Minutes later, the 23-year-old Glen Eden man slipped from his 21-year-old girlfriend's arms as she tried to pull him out of crashing waves after a strong current suddenly pulled them out of their depth.

Mr Faitaua's mother, Luisa, said the couple had spent a lot of time together since meeting last February at a Massey University music course.

On Thursday last week, they went to the beach, having reassured Mrs Faitaua and her husband, Sauleone, that they would be safe.

"They were shallow enough to be hopping the waves, they could step," said Mrs Faitaua. "But the tide changes so quickly, the next minute they couldn't stand."

Although Johnny did not know how to swim, he was trying to reach his girlfriend to help her - even though she was a confident swimmer - when he was pulled under, his mother said.

"[Hannah] is devastated; she's taken it really hard. She thinks that Johnny was trying to get to her. He was more worried about Hannah and that was why he was trying so hard to get to her."

Ms Elise was able to reach Johnny as he went under, but was not strong enough to keep hold of him and drag him ashore.

"He didn't have a shirt on, only shorts. That made it hard for her to grab him. She had him in her arms, but couldn't get him to shore."

Ms Elise ran to the beach and called 111, then returned to the water to try to reach Johnny again.

With no other beachgoers, she had no help until emergency services arrived. Surf Life Saving volunteers, regional Surf Life Saving staff, the police maritime unit and the Eagle police helicopter searched the coast all weekend, until Johnny 's body was found off the Bethells Beach peninsula on Monday morning.

Mrs Faitaua said the death of Johnny, a former student of Kelston Boys' High School in West Auckland and Linwood High School in Christchurch, had taken a large toll on their whole immediate and extended family, friends and community.

Dozens of people, including the Faitauas' other sons Phillip, 25, and Aaron, 17, had kept vigil at the beach last weekend.

"Johnny is so caring, he has such a loving heart. He loves his music, he had so much going for him."

Her son was a talented musician who played the keyboard, and always went out of his way to help others.

"He was always happy," Mrs Faitaua said. "[That was] the goal of me and his dad - we wanted to see him happy - so we did everything we could to do that. When he met Hannah, we saw the change; it was like he's finally become complete.

"He was so happy, and we were happy for him. It was like Hannah completed that gap for him."

Relatives have travelled from Samoa and Australia to support the West Auckland family, and a service will be held at the Massey Samoan Congregational Church on Tuesday.