VERO BEACH — Family and friends of a former local man are distraught after he was swept away by currents while swimming in the ocean off Vero’s South Beach.
Vero Beach Police, Indian River County Fire Rescue, the U.S. Coast Guard and a Sheriff’s helicopter began searching for 32-year-old Johnnie Thomas Wednesday where he was last seen in the water just east of the Prestige Hotel at 1526 Ocean Drive, just below South Beach Park.
The body of Thomas, formerly of Vero Beach, was found shortly after 7 a.m. Friday near the 2300 block of Ocean Drive. Police are calling the incident an apparent drowning.
On Wednesday, Thomas’ girlfriend was swimming with him and lost sight of him after he was pulled under the water.
“Just find his body and bring it home,” said family friend Carrie, 39, of Vero Beach, on Thursday, before his body was recovered. “We don’t want an empty casket. Keep searching for him.”
Johnnie Thomas (right) with his daughter Keri. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY THOMAS FAMILY
Carrie, whose last name is not being used for privacy reasons, said Thomas was well-known in Vero Beach and that she has known him since he was 10 or 11 years old.
“He had the biggest heart. He was a very loving child and always had a smile on his face,” Carrie said. “There wasn’t a day that he didn’t call to check up on me.”
Thomas’ family is heartbroken over the incident.
“Everyone’s taking it rough,” said Thomas’ step brother John Bieda, 28, of Vero Beach. “It’s all so fresh; it’s almost like it’s not real.”
Thomas has five other siblings who all live in Vero Beach; Isreal Thomas, 29, step brother Christopher Thomas, 34, Junior Thomas, 35, sister Ravon Smith, 21 and Africa Thomas, 30, according Bieda.
Bieda said all the siblings were close and would go fishing, hunting, camping and ride their dirt bikes out in the woods. He said Thomas played football at Vero Beach High School and received a couple of football scholarships.
“He was in good physical shape. The women loved him,” Bieda said. “He was always optimistic and pepping me up when I was down.”
Bieda said Thomas loved riding dirt bikes and doing things that would excite his adrenaline. He said Thomas, who has a 14-year-old daughter named Keri, was a good father and a hardworking man.
Bieda said his brother worked as a heavy equipment operator for different companies over the years.
Carrie said she met Thomas’ mom 20 years ago when they worked together doing different jobs through Labor Finder.
Thomas moved from Vero Beach to Fort Lauderdale in August, according to Carrie. She said he is a graduate of Vero Beach High School.
Childhood friend Rickie Chandler said Thomas, whom he knew for 16 years, was “full of life.” Chandler said he’s shocked by the drowning. He said they both used to race up and down their neighborhood on street bikes and go-carts.