It is in the day-to-day moments, during church choir or looking at a stunning sunset, that Lionati Fotofili’s family remember him.

The 44-year-old Tongan church pastor, known as Lio, was reported missing at the mouth of the Ōpihi River in the early hours of December 30, 2022, after he did not return home from a fishing trip the night before.

His body has never been recovered, despite extensive searches – first by the police, and then by family members, colleagues, and members of the community, who set up a base on the shore of the river mouth and continued to look for weeks after Fotofili’s disappearance.

Now, 12 months later, his family says that while life has gone on, it is still painful to remember the beloved father-of-two, husband and Alliance Smithfield worker, who started the church of Tonga in Timaru.

On Saturday, his family and those who helped look for him gathered on the shore of the river mouth once more to remember Fotofili and enjoy a feast in his honour.

They sat on the shore, eating food and reflecting on the past 12 months, and sharing stories.

It was an appropriate spot to celebrate his life, family spokesperson Anna Leger said.

It was where he was fishing for his congregation’s New Year’s Day lunch when he disappeared. His wife and their friends and children were on the shoreline while Fotofili set up his nets.

They knew something was wrong when he did not flash his light to let them know he was safe.

Although it was the last place he was seen, it had been a happy place for Fotofili, who would gather food there for his family and church, Leger said.

Over the past year, the family’s motto has been 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, Leger said: “Be on guard, stand firm in the faith. Be courageous, be strong and do everything in love.”

Fotofili was “always there with us”, she said.

“It’s been tough, especially on us, the family, and trying to find a normality. Heading into the festive season, a lot of us left Timaru to get away for a while.’’

She said it had been important in the first few months following Fotofili’s disappearance that the family members watched out for one another and communicated.

Realising the importance of a healthy body and mind, Leger said she organised a health programme with the female members of the family.

“A few of us did that through Multicultural Aoraki and opened it to all Pasifika ladies.’’

Meeting regularly, Leger said the programme helped keep the women motivated and positive during a challenging time.

There had also been many moments of reflection and appreciating the aspects of life where they were reminded of Fotofili, she said.

“Sometimes when the church choir is singing and there’s a mistake, I giggle thinking of what Pastor would have said.

“It is tough, but he is there, and we remember him.’’

With his body not yet discovered, Leger said she knew the family would never have closure.

“But we all have faith in God and believe his memory will forever live on in his kids and nieces and nephews.’’

His legacy continued through their various educational and sporting achievements during 2023, she said.

Timaru’s Church of Tonga, where Fotofili was the pastor when he died, is under new leadership, with the new minister taking Saturday’s service, she said.

As well as loving family, fishing, the sea and music, he loved rugby and supported the Harlequins and Temuka.

Shortly after he went missing, some of Fotofili’s items were located, including the blue and white T-shirt he was wearing that night, oars and his shoes.

His dinghy was also discovered on the shoreline south of the Ashburton River, about 50 kilometres away on the day he was reported missing, but it was not until 26 days later that the member of the public realised it was the one Fotofili was last seen fishing from.