Key Takeaways
- Nolan Xavier Wells, 18, was found dead near Horn Island after disappearing during a July 4 boat trip, and authorities are still investigating the circumstances.
- His mother and close friends shared tributes, including a final exchange where he told his best friend he loved him.
- Investigators suspect drowning and do not currently believe foul play was involved, though official DNA confirmation was pending at the time of reporting.
Loved ones of Nolan Xavier Wells are speaking out after the 18-year-old Mississippi football player was found dead following a Fourth of July trip to Horn Island.
According to WLOX, a body believed to be Wells was found Monday morning (July 6) in the water near the northwestern tip of the island by a U.S. Park Service ranger. His family later confirmed his death on social media, though Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd said official DNA results were still pending. An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday (July 7) at the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office Coast Lab.
Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, said the family was devastated by the loss. “My heart is broken for my sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others,” she wrote in a Facebook post cited by Mississippi Free Press. “Nolan was a special soul, God took his time creating our son.”
The Sun Herald reported that friends and family gathered at Lake Mars Boat Launch as search crews brought the body to shore. Among them was Jayvon Williams, Wells’ 17-year-old best friend, who said he was supposed to ride to Horn Island on the same boat as Wells before it filled up. Williams ended up traveling on another boat and later saw him on the island.
“As soon as we got out there,” Williams told the outlet, “he told me that he loved me.” Williams said Wells also spoke with other friends and a girl in the crowd. He believes he last saw him sometime after 4 p.m., a detail that adds to the developing timeline around Wells’ final hours.
Another friend, Trace Carter, said he spoke with Wells before the trip and urged him to be careful. “Just hit me up when you get back,” Carter recalled telling him. “Watch out for yourself.” Wells reportedly responded, “I got you. I’ll hit you up later.”
Nolan Wells' friends and community remember his impact
Friends described Wells as kind, easygoing, and someone who could calm tense moments. One friend told the Sun Herald that Wells “could spark up a whole room.” Doris Hands, a grandmother figure to several of the childhood friends, remembered him as “kind-hearted” and said he loved sports.
Wells played wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College after graduating from Ocean Springs High School. Ocean Springs head football coach Jake Bramlett told WLOX that Wells was “so much more than an outstanding football player,” adding that he carried himself with humility and respect.
Sheriff John Ledbetter told ABC News that investigators suspect Wells drowned and do not currently suspect foul play, but the case remains active. WLOX reported that authorities are still interviewing friends who were with him and asking anyone with information to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.