By Jake Offenhartz
Contributing Writer
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi – Family and supporters of Nolan Xavier Wells gathered in a Mississippi church here July 20 to mourn and celebrate the 18-year-old college athlete, whose death after a July 4 boat trip with friends has captured the nation’s attention and prompted calls for an independent investigation.
The ceremony began with tearful remarks from Wells’ parents, who described their son as a warm and gentle presence, a gifted athlete and a role model to his younger siblings.
“Nolan had such a gentle, calming spirit about him,” said Christine Wonsley, Wells’ mother. “He had a way of making people feel seen, welcomed and valued. He could lift your confidence with just a few words and make you feel like you belong.”
She described her 18-year-old son as protective and nurturing, noting that he hoped to have three daughters one day.
“We will miss everything about him, from his quiet nature to the corny jokes. His gentle smile, the way he made everyone around him feel comfortable, loved and at ease,” she said. “Your absence has left an emptiness that can never truly be filled — a piece of our hearts will always be missing.”
“We will continue to fight for you,” she said through tears.
Wells father, Elmore Wonsley, fought back tears as he thanked mourners for attending his son’s funeral.
“Nolan meant a lot to a lot of people, and today just shows us how much he meant to the community, to the country and to the world,” he said.
In a fiery eulogy, the Rev. Al Sharpton then promised a $50,000 reward for any new information about the circumstances around Wells’ death. The teenager, who was Black, traveled with a group of white friends to Horn Island, off the Gulf Coast, but did not return with them.
“There’s too many unanswered questions,” Sharpton said. “We can’t have someone in law enforcement saying there was no foul play before there was an investigation.”
He then invoked the history of racist violence in Mississippi, including the lynching of Emmett Till and assassination of Medgar Evers.
“The reason why a lot of people in the nation are looking at this Nolan situation is that we’ve looked at history in Mississippi. Some of us remember what happened in Mississippi,” Sharpton continued, to spirited applause in the church. “Before we can medicate and heal today, we’ve got to look at your history.”
The family’s attorney, Ben Crump, then led the crowd in a chant of “Nolan’s life mattered,” as Wells’ mother sobbed into the shoulder of her husband, Elmore Wonsley.
Wells’ death has galvanized Black activists across the nation, igniting vigorous discussions of racial tension and mistrust of law enforcement in the Deep South.
Among those in attendance were award-winning film director Spike Lee and former NFL star Terrell Owens. Actor and producer Tyler Perry helped pay for the funeral.
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter has said Wells’ friends are cooperating with the investigation, which remains ongoing. He said initial interviews suggested Wells chose to stay on the island and that his friends believed he would get a ride with someone else. His body was found off the island’s coast two days after he was last seen.
The still-unknown circumstances leading to Wells’ disappearance have fueled rampant online speculation, along with questions from his parents about why he was left behind.
Crump has said another witness reported Wells planned to leave on the boat with his three friends, contradicting the sheriff’s information. He also alleged that messages appeared to have been deleted from Wells’ cell phone, which was found with Wells’ friends, along with his keys.
Crump, who is leading his own investigation into the death, said he would work with the local prosecutor to inspect the device. The prosecutor agreed last week to present the results of the investigation to a grand jury once it is completed, Crump said.
“Our lived experiences tell us that we must question everything, everybody’s role, law enforcement’s role,” Crump said. “That is the lived experience as Black people in America.”
Wells, who would have turned 19 next month, played wide receiver on the football team at Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit, Mississippi, and had aspirations of playing at a high-level Division I football program.
“He was very sociable with everyone, didn’t meet a stranger,” his coach, Les George, told WAPT-TV. “He would pop up at my office and come sit on the couch just to hang out and talk.”
In a joint statement last week, members of the Congressional Black Caucus called for an independent and transparent investigation into Wells’ death, adding that “too many questions remain unanswered.”
“We hope the outpouring of concern and support from people across the country in recent days brings them some comfort in the days ahead,” they said.
Wave wire services contributed to this report.
