KEY POINTS:
For the past 19 days Sonny Fai's oldest sister has made daily trips to the beach where he was last seen alive - and not once has she shed a tear.
But yesterday, surrounded by supporters who didn't even know the rising league star, Lalelei Fai was overwhelmed by the group's show of sympathy and broke down.
Sonny Fai disappeared at Bethells Beach this month after going into the surf to help a struggling relative. He has not been seen since and is presumed drowned.
Yesterday, a group of 40 students from Otara's Polyethnic Institute of Studies gathered at the beach to show their support for Sonny's family.
Dressed in traditional red and white church attire, the English language students, many of whom were in their 50s and 60s, made their way along the hot black sand to the spot where the 20-year-old was last seen. After putting up a large painting of Jesus, they stood in a semi-circle facing the sea and were guided in prayer and later song by the Rev Stanley Winter Theron before wading into the sea to release a letter they all signed for Sonny.
Course co-ordinator Lemoe Futi said the group had all shed tears for Sonny - who had been a role model to many Pacific Islanders.
"We are here to offer our prayers to his family," she said. "He was a really big role model to all our children. Our children are still very, very sad, they still don't use the word dead - he's missing. He is waiting over there somewhere."
As they sang and prayed for over an hour, holidaymakers continued about their daily lives, walking dogs, playing with children and enjoying the surf under the watchful eyes of lifeguards.
However, life has frozen for Sonny's family, who come to the beach every day hoping for news of their loved one. Yesterday, relatives were gathered around a barbecue at the carpark preparing food for the students who had come to offer their support.
Once the group returned from the beach - some were so old and tired they needed a lift on the back of the lifeguards' tractor - Lalelei Fai broke down as she thanked them for their time.
Ms Fai told the Weekend Herald she hadn't cried since her brother vanished but yesterday's show of support from people who didn't even know him left her in tears.
"That's why it touched me. Why would old people walk out on that beach when it's so tiring just to say prayers for what Sonny did?"
Ms Fai said Sonny was "a brother, an uncle" to his family - not just the rising league star that everyone else knew. He was a good boy who "didn't have a bad bone in his body" and had never given his parents any trouble. He and his sister were especially close.
"I'm older than him but I still looked up to him," said Ms Fai.
She said her family had not yet given up hope.
"Dad's slowly accepting that he's gone but Mum's still in that world of hoping he's going to walk through the door any minute. I just want him back but I believe God's protecting him, looking after him."
