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Family of missing surfer Darryl Fornatora still searching for answers, holding on to hope

Posted at 5:23 PM, Jan 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-29 00:03:58-05

Two Boynton Beach parents refuse to give up hope.

One year ago, Darryl Fornatora disappeared during a trip to the Dominican Republic. 

365 days later -- his disappearance remains a mystery.

When we spoke to Nancy and Gilbert Fornatora a year ago, they revealed the last text message they received from their son: "Love you. Probably five hours water time today. Call you tomorrow. Time to crash. Totally spent." 

Nancy said Darryl was on a surfing trip when he disappeared. ”If he didn't make the plane, now we don't know what we're dealing with. That unknown is what can be dangerous so we don't know."

Crime Stoppers Republica Dominicana got involved in the case.

Still, that investigation turned up no sign of the Darryl.

In the following months investigators found both Darryl's wallet and cell phone.

The phone was in the car he rented in the Dominican Republic.

His parents later received the cell phone in the mail. They said the person who found it removed Darryl's information and used it as their personal cell phone.

In July, 6 months after Darryl's disappearance, Dominican police officially closed the case, labeling the disappearance as a drowning.

But his family is not giving up hope and has hired private investigators to look into the case.

On a GoFundMepage the family started to help raise money for the investigators, the family writes "We will not rest until we have answers".