Lennox Head drowning devastates parents Leo Etoundi and Kylie Deveson

Alane Etoundi’s room is exactly how he left it when he headed out from his Lennox Head home for a walk to the beach. He never returned and now his father has shared the anguish of his son’s unfulfilled football dreams.

Alane Etoundi’s room is exactly how he left it when he headed out from his Lennox Head home for a bit of relaxation after a hot day at work.

The 19-year-old’s phone and Bible sit on his bedside table, the work shorts he tore off before walking to the beach rest on a chair beside them.

His devastated father Lionel Etoundi cannot help but verbalise a torturous torrent of “what ifs” running through his mind as he looks over to where his only son should have returned.

Alane’s new life chasing his dream of becoming a professional footballer was cut short less than a month after arriving from his native Cameroon.

Lionel, his wife Kylie Deveson and her sons William, 16 and Harry Cass, 14, had fought for more than two years to get him into Australia.

Alane’s arrival into Ballina Airport on November 18 had been delayed by visa difficulties and Covid complications which had kept him living in the Cameroon capital of Yaoundé for much longer than his family had hoped.

“We tried everything to get him here, but it was not easy,” Lionel, a former professional footballer, said.

Alane had received his visa in May but it took another six months before his family could get him on a suitable flight.

Their hard work paid off when Alane finally arrived just before Australia closed its borders to a host of African countries.

“It was an amazing time,” Lionel said.

“He was very lucky.”

He said his son was very intelligent and knew what he wanted to do with his life - play in the English Premier League.

Alane was a defender driven by a desire to go beyond what his father, who played in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, had achieved.

“Alane always said ‘you have been playing fake soccer, I want to play in the Premier League’,” Lionel said.

Lionel and Kylie had met in Bali in 2017 and were married in Cameroon in 2019.

They had been waiting for Alane to arrive to have a ceremony in Australia.

Lionel said he had not seen his son play a match but knew from his training that Alane had potential to reach his dreams.

“He trained very hard and was very strong,” Lionel said.

Alane had not long been home from helping out at Kylie and Lionel’s business, The Point Cafe, on Friday when went for a walk by himself to the beach about 4.30pm.

“He said to Kylie ‘I just want to go to the beach and have a little walk and come back’,” Lionel said.

But Alane did not return.

He was seen by a woman to be struggling in the water shortly after 6pm.

Lifesavers had packed up the flags about an hour earlier and headed home.

They responded quickly once the alarm was raised but could not find Alane.

A large search involving helicopters, rescue craft and police divers ensued but it was not until Sunday morning when Alane’s body was found at the northern end of Seven Mile Beach.

Lionel said he had received a message from his mother in Cameroon on Saturday night who told him “don’t worry, you will find Alane tomorrow”.

As he arrived at the beach on Sunday morning he said “Alane, if you know that your dream was to come to me, get out of the water today”.

It was still a shock though when their fears were confirmed a little later that day.

He said his Catholic faith, something which he shared with his son, would help him through the grief.

“I feel very sad, for me, for Kylie and for the boys because he called Kylie ‘mum’,” Lionel said.

But he said he would continue coaching players through his Leo Performance Soccer business.

“I will not stop what I started doing with soccer,” Lionel said.

“For me, he (Alane) will be happy.”

Lifesavers and other people search for Alane Etoundi at Lennox Head on Saturday. Picture: Liana Walker

Family friend Brad Jones said he had seen helicopters flying about on Friday evening but did not realise until Saturday morning they had been searching for Alane.

He said he took his jet ski out to join a number of other vessels searching for the teenager but it was to no avail.

He joined a group of about 10 who paid a special tribute to Alane at the beach on Sunday evening, where they laid a Cameroon flag on the sand.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Mr Jones said.

He organised an online fundraiser that had amassed more than $9000 in donations in less than 24 hours of being launched.

Another separately organised fundraiser to support Alane’s family had raised a further $23,000 since being launched on Sunday.

Surf Life Saving NSW Far North Coast emergency service co-ordinator Jimmy Keough said lifesavers had responded quickly once the alarm was raised on Friday.

“It hits home a little bit closer for these guys up there,” Mr Keough said.

“A lot of the members of the search actually knew family members of the gentleman.”

Police take cover from the sun during a search at Lennox Head for Alane Etoundi on Saturday. Picture: Liana Walker

He said members from every NSW club north of Lennox Head had helped with the search.

Lionel said the support his family had received since Alane went missing was indescribable.

“I feel like I was in Africa with my family,” Lionel said.

“I don’t know how to say thanks.”

He said it was hard to explain the impact the support had on him.

“I didn’t feel alone,” he said.

“I feel like I have a population behind me.”

Arrangements are being made for Alane’s funeral.