Parking spaces reserved for legislators stand empty outside the Mississippi State Capitol building in Jackson, Mississippi, U.S., on Wednesday, April 8, 2020. The U.S. is on track for a grim milestone in the coming days -- passing Italy as the world's epicenter of Covid-19 mortality. Photographer: Rory Doyle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Mississippi House of Representatives honored Nolan Wells during a special session on Thursday, July 16. Rep. Henry B. Zuber III (R-Jackson County) made the motion with a delegation of Mississippi lawmakers on the House floor.
According to WLOX, Gov. Tate Reeves called for a special session to pass laws on how youth court cases are handled in Mississippi. Zuber and the delegation made a motion of adjournment in memory of the late 18-year-old. The college student disappeared after an outing with friends on Horn Island on the Fourth of July and never returned. He was found dead two days later, and a mystery continues to surround his death.
I met this young man a couple of times while he was playing football,” said the lawmaker. “And as you all know, Nolan was the young man that was taken way, way too early from us while he was at Horn Island.
Rep. Jeffrey Hulum III (D-Harrison County) also spoke, and he called for the state of Mississippi to come together during this time of “chaos and confusion.”
“We ask you to pray, continue to pray for his family, pray for him, pray for our state, and continue to help us come together in this tremendous time of chaos and confusion, Hulum said. And let the state of Mississippi stand up and show our brotherly and neighborly love.
Nolan’s mother, Christine Wonsley, gave thanks to the Mississippi lawmakers on Facebook following the gesture on Friday, July 17. She wrote, “Thank you for doing that for our sonshine Nolan Wells
The grieving mother also shared a video on Instagram thanking people for their support on July 16. Hey Boobears,” she began. “I know you probably didn’t expect to so me, but I had to come on because I wanted to acknowledge all of your love, support and kindness.“
“I wanted to answer each and every one of you, and I probably will at some point, but right now, its just everything is so heavy,” she added. “Everything is so heavy. Just been going through the motions, you know? Im a healthcare provider, so I talk about grief a lot. [But] now to be on the other side of this is, um, its a lot.
Wonsely also noted that she just lost her mother a few years back, and losing her son feels “insurmountable.”
This grief, this pain, its different. Its insurmountable. And then its like you get this flood of emotions all at different times, and grief is so multi-layered. One second, I might be okay, and I can talk about things, and I can listen to the stories. And then the next minute, I am falling apart, and I feel like I cant breathe. And I feel like there is an elephant just sitting on my chest.
The cause of death has not yet been revealed, but investigators said they suspect Nolan drowned. However, his family has retained civil rights’ attorney Ben Crump. A video of argument among teens on the island has surfaced, and discrepancies between his friends’ accounts verses Nolan’s cell phone locations are in question as the investigation continues. Nolan’s funeral and visitation will take place on July 20 in Gulfport, Mississippi. His mother noted on Instagram that the serves are private.
“Repass will be PRIVATE! Passes will be given to attendees of the repass. #NolanWells#Forever18.”
