Rescuers called off their search for a missing 18-year-old who fell off his boogie board near Half Moon Bay.
The teen’s parents have confirmed with KRON4 that their son Naphtali Moimoi, who goes by Neff, was last seen around 3 p.m. at Poplar Beach.
Moimoi was a football star for Hayward High School and was headed to the University of Wyoming on a full-ride football scholarship.
On Thursday, he and he friends were out enjoying their spring break boogie boarding on the waters near Half Moon Bay.
His friends last saw him about 15 yards offshore floating facedown and appeared to be unresponsive.
They called 911 and that kicked off a search by the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, and Coastside Fire among other agencies.
Rescuers had to suspend the search due to the high surf, low visibility, and dense fog.
It resumed Friday morning when Moimoi’s family thought they saw his body, but sadly that was not the case.
His mother Lisa Moimoi said, “I miss him….we want him home.”
David Moimoi remembered his son saying, “He was a good loving kid he would go out of his way for anybody.”
Even after the physical search was called off, deputies were still scanning the waves with binoculars looking for any sign.
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