Tragic Mississippi teen Nolan Wells was laid to rest in a closed casket Monday at a packed hometown funeral that included famed director Spike Lee and former NFL star Terrell Owens.
Wells’ mother openly wept as she made her way into Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs, Miss. — fewer than two weeks after her 18-year-old college-athlete son mysteriously died on a July 4 boating trip with pals.
“I want to give all thanks to God for choosing Elmore and me to be Nolan’s parents,” grieving mom Christine Wonsley said through tears as she stood at the altar before hundreds of mourners, including her son’s stricken football teammates.
Wells’ body was brought to the church in a blue coffin with silver trim by a white hearse — then placed at the front of the altar between frames with the promising wide receiver’s high-school and college football jerseys inside.
“We thank you Lord for the beautiful 18 years that you blessed us with him,” Wonsley said.
“We will miss everything about him and his quiet nature, the corny jokes, his gentle smile and the way he made everyone around feel loved, comfortable and at ease.”
Wells’ body was found in the water off Horn Island in Mississippi’s Gulf Coast on July 6, two days after he did not return with friends from a boat trip there. His corpse had to be identified through dental records.
Police have said nothing points to foul play, at least yet, and that they suspect Wells likely drowned. They are awaiting official autopsy results.
But Wells’ family is conducting their own investigation amid what they claim are inconsistencies in Wells’ friends account of the day.
They have expressed concerns over why Wells — who was a student at Southwest Mississippi Community College — supposedly accidentally left his phone with his pals before they went back to shore and whether Snapchat content had been deleted before the device was returned to his family.
Wells’ parents and well-known civil-rights lawyer Benjamin Crump– who accompanied them to Monday’s service — met with Jackson County District Attorney Angel McIlrath on Wednesday to discuss the case.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, who also was at Monday’s service, has offered $50,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case.
Sharpton added that he received a text from actor and director Tyler Perry, who already paid for the funeral, saying he he’ll match his $50,000 for a $100,000 total.
Wells’ former Ocean Springs High School teammates and the current college grid athletes who played with him were among the first to file past the casket for the visitation.
“Your absence has left an emptiness that can never be filled,” Wonsley told the crowd of her son.
“We’ll continue to fight for you.”
