Lifeguards weren't optimistic that they would find alive a young man missing since Sunday from a rocky beach in Orange County, officials said.
The 18-year-old visiting from Nevada was reported missing from Thousand Steps Beach in Laguna Beach at about 1:30 p.m. in high, dangerous surf.
Anthony Parnell's friends saw him wearing black shorts and no shirt when he was hit by high surf and swept away from the rocks he was standing on, they told firefighters with the Orange County Fire Authority.
Search teams consisting of Orange County and Laguna Beach lifeguards, Coast Guard crews and first responders' helicopters called off their search before 11 p.m. Sunday with no sightings made, OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi said.
The search resumed soon after daybreak Monday, with lifeguards and dive teams scouring the coast for Parnell. But officials didn't believe he'd be able to survive the night in the water.
Parnell played high school football in Las Vegas and had recently signed up to join the Army, according to his parents.
They released a statement that called Parnell "was a wonderful human being" who loved cooking, football, music, art and his family.
"In this very difficult time we ask that everyone respect our family and its privacy," Jennifer and Foster Parnell said, thanking the rescuers.
Nine people drowned at Orange County beaches last year, "all avoidable," said Concialdi, who urged beachgoers to watch raging surf from afar.
The high surf warning is in place through Tuesday afternoon, and Thousand Steps Beach remained closed both beacuse of the dangerous surf and the investigation into Parnell's disappearance continued.
Annette Arreola, the Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.
Photo Credit: Family photo