PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- A body was found early Tuesday one mile south of where a swimmer went missing in the surf off Ponte Vedra Beach on Monday afternoon.

St. Johns County Fire Rescue said crews found the body about 6 a.m. Fire Rescue and the Coast Guard were searching after Jarell Stewart went missing in the surf off Mickler's Landing.

According to eyewitness accounts, Jarell Stewart, of Jacksonville, was swimming with his girlfriend. Deputies were told his girlfriend became caught in a rip current and Stewart swam out to assist her. A short time later, his girlfriend said he was swept under the water by a wave and did not resurface.

St. Johns County said the positive identification would not be available until Monday afternoon, but the girlfriend told Channel 4 that the body was Stewart's.

Stewart was a senior at Mandarin High School, where he played on the football team. His coach said Stewart was a pretty good swimmer.

"Anytime you lose anybody you care about, it's tough. And when you lose somebody so young and full of potential, it seems to cut a little bit deeper," coach Jason Robinson said. "All of our hearts go out to the family. We're praying for a miracle, but also understanding that if that's not the case, they're going to need a lot of love."

Robinson said they were preparing to honor Stewart, who played running back, with a moment of silence at this Friday's football game.

Family and friends close to Stewart are considering him a hero.

"A lot of people say that he's a hero, but we'd rather have him here than be a hero," Stewart's aunt Carla Washington said. "It's hard for everybody. It's just real hard for everybody. It's just a tragedy, something that shouldn't have happened."

After Stewart disappeared into the surf just before 4 p.m. Monday, the sheriff's office marine unit, deputies on the beach and a Coast Guard helicopter and boat searched until dark. Deputies on all-terrain vehicles continued to patrol the beach overnight.