Jackson James “J.J.” Rice‘s family continues to mourn his death. 

After the 18-year-old kitefoiler died in a diving accident June 15 off the coast of Tonga, his sister Lily Rice was one of many to share a tribute in J.J.’s honor. 

“I was blessed with the most amazing brother in the whole world,” she began a June 16 Facebook post. “I miss JJ beyond belief I’m in shock I still cant believe it and it will take all of us who loved JJ so long to feel ok again. JJ was the most amazing funny unique person I’ve ever known and I’m going to miss everything about him.”

She added of his dream to one day participate on the Tongan Olympic team for kite foil racing, “He was an amazing kitefoiler and he would have made it to the Olympics and come out with a big shiny medal and a even bigger smile. I will try my best to use what he taught me to be even a tiny bit as amazing as he was.”

In May, J.J. competed at the Last Chance Reggata in Hyères, France, where he hoped to earn a spot at the 2024 Olympics, though he fell just short.