Ohio boy, 11, drowns after being swept away by freak wave while he picked up shells in shallow water - as his mother almost lost her life trying to save him

A young boy drowned in Lake Erie after he was hit by a freak wave and washed out to sea as he picked up shells on the beach.

Hunter Ebie, 11, was only paddling in ankle-deep water in Conneaut, Ohio, and was bending over to grab a shell when the wave grabbed him at around 1.30pm last Friday.

His family said Hunter's mother Diana watched in horror and dived in to save him, but both were caught in a rip tide and she almost drowned.

A heroic fireman who was at the beach dived in and rescued Diana then went back in after Hunter, but the boy did not resurface.

Hunter Ebie, 11, drowned in Lake Erie after he was hit by a freak wave and washed out to sea as he picked up shells on the beach

His family said Hunter's mother Diana Ebie (pictured with Hunter on the left, his stepfather Sam Chambers, and Hunter's sisters) watched in horror and dived in to save him

Combined rescue teams used helicopters, drones, divers, and boats to scour the area of Lake Erie and finally found Hunter's body on Tuesday afternoon

The Coast Guard arrived on the beach at Conneaut Township Park at about 2pm but there was no sign of the varsity football player.

Combined rescue teams used helicopters, drones, divers, and boats to scour the area of Lake Erie and finally found Hunter's body on Tuesday afternoon.

Hunter's stepfather Sam Chambers stayed in Conneaut, spending every day on the beach searching for his son.

'Words cannot express. He was a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin and just an overall caring and loving kid,' Hunter's family said in a statement.

Chambers stayed in Conneaut, spending every day on the beach searching for his son

Part of the huge search involving four agencies along with local volunteers

'Words cannot express. He was a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin and just an overall caring and loving kid,' Hunter's family said in a statement

The family-of-five is from Akron, Ohio, about 95 miles away, and the town of Conneaut rallied to support them during the search.

'Someone generously donated a place for the family to stay, an amazing restaurant owner made sure they had a beautiful hot meal,' one resident said.

'A local pastor opened up the clothing bank and a local counselor went with them to gather warm clothes.'

Hunter's family-of-five is from Akron, Ohio, about 95 miles away, and was on a beach trip

Hunter's classmates at Schrop Intermediate School and teammates at the Spartans Football team held a vigil at the local Springfield Lake

Others stayed on the beach all night with Chambers as he hoped for the return of his son from the lake

The family is raising money to pay for Hunter's funeral

Others stayed on the beach all night with Chambers as he hoped for the return of his son from the lake.

Hunter's classmates at Schrop Intermediate School and teammates at the Spartans Football team held a vigil at the local Springfield Lake, and the family's neighbor  Wade Swain is organizing a memorial convoy for Saturday.

A family friend is also raising money to pay for Hunter's funeral.