A fun planned trip for a group of friends in Santa Rosa, California, USA turned tragic as 28-year-old Fijian rugby player Nasoni Tuitoga Junior was swept away by a whirlpool and never came to shore.
Tuitoga, better known as Tony to many, was a member of Santa Rosa Rugby Club who went to the Russian River in California last Wednesday to swim, but the fun day turned scary after the incident.
In a television interview on KTVU FOX 2, Tuitoga’s friend Joe Quai Hoi, who was also present when the incident happened, says they watched Tuitoga jump in the water.
Hoi says the crazy part was they were yelling out to Tuitoga when they saw him swimming around in circles and asking him if he was okay but he never really replied until he disappeared under the water.
He adds the search and rescue team said when they found Tuitoga, he was about 30–40 feet away from where everyone said he disappeared.
He says Tuitoga’s body was found last Friday afternoon after the crews searched for two days.
Tuitoga’s mother, Lavenia Cavora Tuinaceva Tuitoga says Nasoni’s friends tried to save him, but they were unable to.
Lavenia says she is going to miss him so much, especially his smile.
She says she just keeps on asking God to give her family peace in their hearts.
Nasoni is originally from Naivicula, Wainibuka, Tailevu with maternal links to Matuku, Lau and is the youngest son of Lavenia and Nasoni Tuitoga Snr.
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