By LEE UMBERS - Sunday News

WARRIORS supporters have "blacked out" Mount Smart Stadium in the past, showing their loyalty to the Kiwis colours as well as their NRL team.

But today the club's home ground will be sprinkled with yellow as fans and family combine to celebrate the life of their golden boy hero Sonny Fai, presumed drowned after saving his younger brother and four cousins.

"Yellow represents who Sonny was, a shining and bright person, full of energy," sister Lalelei Fai told Sunday News.

The round-four clash, against South Sydney, is dedicated to the 20-year-old league sensation, missing since his act of selfless bravery at west Auckland's Bethells Beach on January 4.

The traditional minute's silence before the 2pm kick-off has been replaced by 60 seconds of applause and the Fai family will release helium balloons to the heavens an act of joyous rememberance rather than one of mourning.

"I believe my brother's going to be smiling down on us, happy that we're all there to celebrate the day for him," Lalelei said.

Marking Sonny's proud Samoan heritage, the Warriors club is handing out leis to the first 5000 of the expected 18,000-plus fans through the gates.

Warriors coaching and administration staff will wear Polynesian-themed shirts adorned with Sonny's signature and player number.

The Fai family's Otahuhu Samoan Methodist Church choir and cultural groups from Sonny's old school, De La Salle College and Otahuhu College, where Lalelei teaches the Samoan tutor group, will entertain in a pre-match extravaganza.

The show in between the under-20s and NRL game will also include performances from the soulful Lapi Mariner and Rosita Vai, plus dub rocker Tiki Taane.

Marking Sonny's loss in the surging surf at the popular west Auckland beach and to try to prevent another such tragedy, the Warriors will present night rescue equipment to the Bethells Beach Surf Life Saving Club.

There will also be a charity collection for Surf Lifesaving Northern Region and displays by lifesavers, plus a novel rubberised rescue boat relay race.

Proceeds from Sonny Fai memorial wristbands and an auction of memorabilia donated by players from several NRL clubs will go to the Fai family. And the New Zealand Rugby League will make a presentation in honour of the tragically lost young player who promised to be a Kiwis superstar.

The Rabbitohs players will join their Warriors rivals in remembering Sonny. Several in the Kiwis-studded Souths side knew him as either as a friend or age-grade team-mate.

When hooker Issac Luke scored last week against Newcastle, he pointed towards the skies to honour Sonny.

"I'd like to shake (Luke's) hand and thank him for doing that," Lalelei said. "I just hope my brother lives through all those boys who are willing to become good rugby league stars."

Sunday News has a Sonny Fai tribute shirt to give away. Write your name, address and phone number on the back of an envelope and send it to Hero Sonny, PO Box 1074, Auckland.