Hundreds Attend Funeral for Mississippi Teen Nolan Wells

Hundreds of community members, including most of Wells’ high-school football team, assembled at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs on Monday for the funeral of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old who disappeared during a Fourth of July outing on Horn Island and whose body was recovered two days later. Attendees wore the school’s black and blue colors at the family’s request, and a slideshow of photos accompanied gospel music before the service began after noon.

Rev. Al Sharpton delivered a eulogy, and civil-rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, called for a thorough investigation. The Wells family’s attorney noted that actor Tyler Perry is covering funeral expenses, and the family plans a gathering at the Jackson County Fairgrounds for friends and teammates.

Ocean Springs High School head coach Jake Bramlett said the team’s presence was important to honor their former teammate and support his younger siblings on the football team. "He taught them how to act in the locker room and on the field," Bramlett said.

Wells and several friends had traveled to Horn Island for the holiday. After returning to the mainland, Wells chose to stay on the island, intending to catch a ride later. He was reported missing around midnight when he failed to return home. A U.S. park ranger found his body on the island’s northwest shore on July 6. The cause of death has not been released, and officials have not issued an autopsy report. The family and Crump have commissioned an independent autopsy, which was funded by Colin Kaepernick.

Friends remembered Wells as a well-liked individual, with one classmate describing him as "a genuine, stand-up person" who positively impacted those around him.