About 350 people were at a memorial service in the Papakaio Community Centre yesterday for Victor Boraman (21), who has been missing since last Sunday after being swept into the sea at the Rakaia River mouth.
When contacted by the Otago Daily Times on Thursday, the family requested privacy at yesterday's memorial service, but provided a report on it.
Those who gathered for the service at 11am included a large contingent from Rakaia, where Mr Boraman had been working on a dairy farm for about the last six months.
His parents Dixie and Ted Boraman, who now live in Oamaru, brought Victor to New Zealand from Russia as a 6-year-old. He was raised and educated in the Papakaio area and then at Waitaki Boys High School.
The service, almost an hour long, had tribute speeches from about 10 people, including friends he had made at Rakaia. There was also a big representation from the Papakaio community, who had supported the family since Mr Boraman went missing.
The anecdotes reflected what his mother Dixie had said about him: "He was a unique lad, made everyone smile and touched everyone's hearts. He was a bit of a character."
His sister Irina also paid a moving tribute to him as a brother.
After the service, the family met and talked with people outside the community centre.
Mr Boraman, who was whitebaiting at the river, was swept into the water by a large wave about 7pm last Sunday.
About 45 minutes later, a helicopter was close to rescuing him, but before he could be reached, he was hit again by another large wave and disappeared under the water.
Searches of the sea and shoreline since then have failed to find Mr Boraman, and his family accept he has drowned but hope they can get him back.
