The mother of 18-year-old Nolan Wells posted a surprise and emotional video to social media, reaching out to the thousands of people who have offered their support and kindness to their family following the mysterious death of her son over the Fourth of July weekend. Christine Wonsley opened up about her grief upon losing Nolan unexpectedly and without any concrete answers as to how and why he died. The video comes after news that a grand jury will consider all of the evidence collected at the end of the police investigation into Nolan’s death. We are also getting the details on Nolan’s planned funeral for Monday, which will be open to the media and officiated by the Reverend Al Sharpton.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, folks, it it's Friday, July seventeenth, and we just
wanted to hop on because we wanted to share that
you hear, in her own words, the mother of Nolan
Wells to tell you how she's doing in the midst
of an unimaginable grief for a parent. Welcome to this
episode of Amy and TJ. Rose. We are always impressed
(00:23):
anytime these big stories come up. We've seen plenty in
our careers when someone loses a child in whatever manner,
they get thrust into a national, sometimes international spotlight, and
I have always been in awe of how they handle it.
And here I am once again. This is unbelievable that
(00:43):
this family is keeping it together the way they are.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I was so impressed.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
I agree with Nolan Wells's mom, Christine Wansley is her name,
And it was a little surprising, actually was a lot
surprising to see that she posted a video and when
when you listen to this woman and she is a
strong mother who actually took the time to thank people
(01:09):
for their kindness, for their support, for their thoughts and prayers,
and she actually even apologizes in this video for not
being able to reply sooner or to reply to everyone.
I can only imagine how overwhelming, in a good way,
it is for her to see that she's got so
many people collectively who she's never met, who she'll never know,
(01:31):
giving her basically a virtual hug. It matters, It means something.
Anyone who's been through anything understands just how impactful a
message a one line text can be when you're going
through the worst. And she it's so nice to know
that people are reaching out to her and giving her
that love. Her video already has two point one million
(01:54):
views as of this recording. That's significant, and that means
something that matters. It really does, and you can tell
it matters to her, this.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Incredible interest right now in what happened to Nolan Wells,
her eighteen year old son who died under mysterious circumstances.
So on the weekend of fourth or ju line but
Rose we talk about and you just say, we're always
impressed with parents who can keep it together after the
loss of a child, always tragic. What's the line, No
parents should outlive a child. We've covered some awful tragedies
(02:23):
lately with kids accidentally shooting each other, right, and so
we have some awful, awful stuff rose, this is the
case as awful as those are. As we are sitting here,
she still doesn't know what happened to her kid.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
She doesn't, and she has a lot of questions, and
they are understandably demanding and asking for answers in this
case because we don't know. All we know is that
eighteen year old Nolan Wells left with his friends on
a boat to Horn Island off the golf course coast
of Mississippi, and he never returned, only for authorities to
(02:57):
find his body two days later in the waters off
that island. And we have no cause of death, and
we have no understanding of how, why, or even when
he died.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
That is true, too, optimed. We'll give you the update
at least on the case, and we're going to let
you hear from her in just a moment. They rose,
It's the case is moving forward. There's a DA investigation
going on, excuse me, a sheriff's investigation going on. To
give you those updates. First, the mom met with the DA.
They said it was a respectful meeting. It sounds like
the tone in the back and forth they're striking the
(03:32):
right one on both sides. Right now, Is that z yes, and.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
That is comforting to know because obviously there had been
two very divisive sides of this. There were all sorts
of accusations and even death threats towards some of the
kids who Nolan Wells was on that boat with. So yes,
it was getting ugly, and I do feel like news
or a headline that the family met with the DA.
(03:55):
They had a respectful conversation, they're sharing information. They've given
acts to Nolan's phone for authorities to investigate what may
or may not have been removed or deleted from his
phone as a part of their investigation. And we also
got a headline from the DA, and I think this
was really comforting for a lot of people who do
have questions that a grand jury is going to be
(04:18):
going through any and all of the evidence collected at
the end of this police investigation.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
And they're going to be the ones to determine if
charges should be filed against anybody. They do add that
nugget that caveat roll. If we hear Curry and jury
looking into something indictment possible, we always that means does
not mean automatically that this is a criminal issue yet,
and we just don't know. Two autopsies are still pending,
one from the family and independent one and one from
(04:45):
the medical examiner there in Mississippi. The other nugget wrote
the family of the DA they agreed to go over
the phone together. The phone was given back to them.
She didn't have to turn it back over or did
she as part of evidence.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
She may have let them have access to it at
least hearing were they sharing with her or she's sharing
with them, because because we actually heard the sheriff say,
we haven't even seen the phone. And so the parents
in good faith brought the phone with them by all accounts,
and said, hey, let's we'll give you access to this
because look, everyone I believe hopefully has the same goal
(05:19):
to find out what happened, to find out if something
criminal happened to their son, and the phone could be
key to that.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
This is it's interesting and I am really heartened by this.
It's that not that they met, but the reports coming
from both sides are saying, yes, we're being collaborative. It's
not like the da is coming out and saying they're
asking them too much. It's not like the families coming
out and said they were stonewalling. Is it it's like
we're working together and trying to figure this out. That
(05:50):
is so important right.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Now, So that actually it's everything with the tensions that
we're building there in that state, that state that is
steeped in racial injustice. So yes, that was necessary and
and really like you feel like your shoulders relax a
little like, Okay, they're talking, they're they're collaborating, they're working together,
and they have the same goal at the end of
(06:12):
all of this, and that that does at least, I
mean personally, having covered so many of this kind of
story unfortunately, it does give you at least a little
hope that we're headed in the right direction towards truth.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Well thee you talk about truth, that's very important, but Robes,
it's important for the family to be able to we
need to know or the public needs to know, and
in particular, the black community in Mississippi needs to know
that the family is okay with the investigation. Yes, that's key, Roes.
We saw this down and what's my man's name down
(06:45):
in Carmelo, right came in Texas when the family that
really will stir up a community if the family itself
doesn't believe there's been justice for their child. So it's
important that the family is leading the way on. Let's
be patient, let's be calm, and let's find out what happened.
That is such an important, frankly service they're doing to
(07:07):
the community Trum. Right now, we want you to hear.
Now here she is. She put this up. This went
up yesterday, yesterday on Thursday. This is the mother of
Nolan Wells with her plea to the public.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
Take a listen, Hey, bow bears. I know you probably
did not expect to see me, but I had to
come on because I wanted to.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
Acknowledge all of your love, your support, your kindness that
you guys have been showing me. I wanted to, you know,
answer each and every one of you, and I probably.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Will at some point. I will as a point, but
right now it's just everything is so heavy. Everything is
so heavy.
Speaker 6 (07:52):
Just been going through the motions, you know, a health
care provider. So I talk about grief a lot. Now
to be on the.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Other side of this is.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
It's a lot. So I lost my mom a few
years ago and that was hard.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
This loss, this grief, this pain, it's different, it's insurmountable.
And then it's like you get these flood of emotions,
all at different times, and grief is so multi layered.
You know, one second I might be okay and I
(08:32):
can talk about things that I can listen to his stories,
and then the next minute, I am falling apart and
I feel like I can't breathe, and I feel like
there is an elephant just sitting on my shist.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
But you know, I know this is the process. I
have a wonderful supports system. I have my faith in God,
which I've been leaning heavy into. But I just wanted
to let you guys know that I see you, I
love you, I'm thankful for all of you, and I'm
so sorry that I hadn't been able to reply. I
(09:06):
don't know exactly when again I'll post. For some reason.
It does help, and I know if no one was here,
he'd be like, Mom, you know, just keep talking to
the people, keep telling my story, keep telling your story.
So that is going to be my plan again. Thank
you all so much. I love you, and I will
talk to you later. Bye.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
What stood out to you through it all? And we've
listened to and watched this several times since she put
it out.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
I was just so impressed you talked just a few
moments ago about the service, the service.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
That she did for the community to.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Let people know that the investigation is collaborative and that
everyone can calm down for a moment and be assured
that they're on the same team with investigators. But I
think this message to the the public was also a
tremendous service. Her willingness to be vulnerable, to be authentic,
to talk about her grief that impacts so many people. Unfortunately,
(10:11):
in this country, so many mothers know what it's like
to lose a child, and it's I'm imagining, isolating, devastating,
something that you feel like no one could possibly understand.
So for her to put words to that as a
healthcare provider, as someone who actually was around others grief,
and to speak of her own and to say that
(10:33):
she feels like she can't breathe sometimes, that in moments
she's okay, and then in other moments she feels like
she has the weight of an elephant on her chest.
I just felt like, when you are willing to share
those feelings and that experience, and that had to be
so hard for her to express the impact she is
having on so many other mothers and families and frankly,
(10:54):
anyone who has suffered a devastating, unexpected loss that is
so powerful, and I just it just shows what kind
of person she is. Everyone speaks so highly of Nolan Wells,
and we've talked about this posthumously. Everyone says, oh, he
was the perfect man. But truly, everyone who has ever
(11:15):
known or been around Nolan Wells speaks about his kindness,
his positivity, his joy, his his aura, his energy. I
don't know much about his father, but watching Christine's video,
I see where he got it from.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
I didn't realize she was a healthcare worker. Makes sense,
and you know what stood It seems like a minor
thing that told me so much. She started by saying
who bears she did? She said this little affectionate thing
to the audience. It was so motherly, It was so
healthcare worker ish, it was so it was so maternal.
(11:55):
It was, uh, I don't know why that because I
heard so much to buy the video before I saw it,
my shoulders relaxed, Yeah, and I felt like Robes. She
was taking care of me instead of her needing me
to take care of her. She gave us permission to relax,
to be okay, to wait the process out and to
(12:16):
feel how we're feeling. I don't know. I don't know
if that was her intention, but like you said, just
who she is, I that was incredible. But she did,
and she cried through much of it, and she smiled
at times through some of it.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
That's just yeah, she displayed every authentic emotion I imagine
anyone would be going through because she's still in shock,
let's be honest. This was fourth of July weekend. But
she had a healthy, beautiful, incredible young man who was
her son, who was in college playing football, who had
hopes and dreams, and part of her is probably still
(12:53):
in that space where how could he not be here anymore?
And so for her to be just trying to get
her head and heart around the awful truth of it,
She's willing to share with us where she is in
that process. And I just think that that's so important
and it's so brave and it's so courageous.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
I don't think people understand just.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
How hard it is to expose yourself like this, especially
when you know people are talking about you, talking about
your son around the world, and to know suddenly now
you are in the spotlight. And she took that spotlight
and she did good with it, and I just think
it was so impressive.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Was the other thing we have. I mean, as we
sit here as of this recording, this is two weeks.
It's coming up on two weeks since she last all
saw her son, right, because it was Friday, July third
when she he went over and cooked.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
This is exactly two weeks since the last time she's
and the last time she'll ever see her son.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yeah, and so here we said two weeks and she
still don't know why her son is gone. So yeah,
I thought this was impressive. It was brave. I don't
know if her intent was just to say thank you
or she did have and someone say, hey, you need
to talk to the people. You need to give a message,
to give something positive and hopeful and maybe even calm
(14:19):
some things down. Because some stuff out there is a
little nasty. I don't want to include this. And this
is the first probably podcast we've done about Nolan Wells
in which we're not incorporating some of the uglinesses out there,
because this woman was all beauty in this video. We
also did find out about funeral arrangements. Stay here will
tell you what is going to happen this weekend and
(14:40):
into next Monday.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Welcome back everyone to this episode of Amy and TJ.
We are talking about the mother of Nolan Wells. She
made a powerful emotional video to her social media account
on Thursday, and it really went a long way towards
healing us. And I know that sounds silly, but so
many of us have felt emotionally connected to this story,
(15:13):
especially because we just don't know that much. But she
actually even spoke about making these videos or talking about
her son actually is healing for her too, that it
helps her along the journey. And I can only imagine
hearing back from all of these people who are messaging
her and her family via social media. It matters that
(15:33):
Nolan mattered. It matters that people care about her son.
Just imagine if this were you, and that is just
the worst place you could possibly be in as a parent.
But to know that your child's life was important and
is still important, and to carry on his message. She
talked about that, and we are learning about how they
are and how we all are going to be honoring
(15:55):
Nolan Wells. His funeral is going to be taking place
beginning with the visitor, but on Monday morning, July twentieth.
It's going to be there at Center Point Church in
Ocean Springs. But the cool thing is they're opening this
up to everyone, the media included. The media is allowed
to attend. Family friends, former teammates, his middle school, high school,
(16:17):
and college football teams are all going to be there.
This is going to be a massive show of support
and love for Nolan Wells.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
It is going to be here.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
We gotmrob how many times we got to go through
this dead black man. It comes sharped and doing the
eulogy right, it seems like I'm not dismissing that. I'm
saying it's the same pattern it feels so often. We
don't know what happened to this young black man. It
is possible he could have accidentally drowned. Absolutely could have happened.
(16:49):
I think Robes didn't. This all gets set off. Robes
didn't this all gets set off when the the sheriff
came out so immediately.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
I think that's the big misstep that was made to
jump to a conclusion of no foul play and accidental drowning.
That was too soon. There are still too many question marks,
and that very well may be what happened. But to
automatically rush to that creates suspicion.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
It just does.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
And that is fair if that was anyone's kid, but
especially if it's a black kid with an all white
friend group. In the state of Mississippi, there should have
been even extra sensitivity given to the circumstances given the
state's history period.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
There wasn't. They didn't look at it through that lens.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
And I can understand why they don't have to. They
don't have to, but Robed it's I'm not sure. I
haven't seen because I thought we'd have autopsic results by now.
No from the independent one. They said they finished the
autops of the medical examer but they're still waiting on toxicology.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Yes, and that always, for whatever reason, seems to take
so long. So we'll be waiting for that. But I
also we heard obviously from Christine on her social media video,
but she also said some beautiful things about what we're
going to be able to expect on Monday at Nolan's funeral,
and I love what she said. Christine said, we want
to celebrate Nolan. He would not want us to be
(18:14):
sitting around crying and eating.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
That is so cool.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
She said, what we're going to do is kind of
have a party to celebrate him, and that will be
held at Jackson County Fairgrounds. I just got chills from
head to toe because I think if any of us
can imagine what we would want for our family and
friends once we're gone, I don't think any of us
want someone sitting around.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
I mean, maybe some people want people to feel pain.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Oh, I actually feel like maybe you might joke and
say that, but I have often said the same thing,
like I want there to be rose flowin' champagne bottles popped.
I want eighties music playing, and I want people dancing
and celebrating. And if you want to remember a few
fun moments we had along the way, great, But I
don't want crying and son and misery. That's not what
(19:02):
any of us want. I just think it's so cool
because it's one thing for us to want that, but
to have a parent be able to recognize that and
say this is what we're going to do, Because what
she probably wants to do is cry, go into fetal
position and feel awful, But instead she says she's going
to honor her son because she knows what he would
have wanted. And I just love the idea of going
to the fair grounds, the Jackson County Fairgrounds and having
(19:25):
a big old party to celebrate.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Her son. That is amazing and that's hard to do.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
She gave us permission to do it as well. She
gave us permission to have whatever emotion and feeling you're
having right now. If you want to cry like yourself out,
if you want to come over here and just dance
and have a good time, you can do it as well.
Rope some of the best, some of the biggest, craziest
celebrations and parties I have ever been to growing up.
We're at black funerals.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Baby, you know what.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
They're homegoing celebrations. They're different, bands are playing. I have
seen a full band with a drummer up on going.
I have seen these to where you almost feel awkward,
like what are we doing? Somebody's dead. But once you
understand robes what it means in some traditions and traditions
in some communities, this is what it's supposed to be.
(20:10):
This is a celebration of life. It's a home going,
not a homecoming. It's a home going, and people put
their faith in that and have She has to be
assured robes that he is where he's supposed to be now,
in a better place than he was, and she needs
that right now.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
I love that you just explained that, because I don't
think a lot of white people have seen that. And
I will tell you the first exposure I had to
it was as a reporter in Charleston, South Carolina, and
I went to my first black funeral, and first I
went to the home and then went to the funeral,
and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I heard music, playing, laughter, dancing,
(20:50):
and that was nothing what I was accustomed to. Because look,
I know we're generalizing here, but white white people. The
white funerals I've been to Catholic Mass is solemn, crying,
sacred music.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
It's scary almost, it's so sad.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
So to see something completely opposite taking place, I remember saying, well, hello,
this is the page I want to take out of
how to do a funeral rite.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
That is what we should be doing.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
I know should be as hard when you're feeling incredible
pain and loss, but I was blown away at the beauty.
And you know what, I remember pulling I saw it
was on John's Island. I still remember pulling up to
the house and seeing so many cars that we couldn't
even find a place to park. Our news struck because
so many people had just come and I was like, Wai,
are we at the right place, because this can't possibly
(21:40):
be a funeral. But it was, and it was so
amazing and awesome to witness. I'll never forget it, and
I love that this is what we're going to see
for Nolan Wells.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
And they actually went out.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
She also went on to say, we want to thank
mister Tyler Perry for paying for the funeral, as well
as Colin Kaepernick for shouldering the expense of the independent autopsy,
and to Reverend Al Sharpton for agreeing to officiate the
funeral services.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
That's pretty dang cool.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
I'll pay attention on Monday, folks, if nothing else, If
you have it, this might be something you've never seen before.
We don't know exactly how it's going to go, but
I mean, he's eighteen, he's essentially a kid football players,
He's a social media generation. They have a different energy
and vibe and this it should reflect. It's this. It's
(22:32):
sad as hell. Every black funeral, yes, sad, and they're
always tears. But man, we go out of our way
to make sure they're more smiles and positive remembrances than
just the final moments whatever they might have been, so
that is good on her. Hats off to this. We
talk about the mom so much, but the dad has
been right there through absolutely fireside. So we wanted to
(22:55):
pass that along. Wanted you to hear her words if
you hadn't heard them. If you get a chance to
go online to find her video and see her say
those words as well as well, we encourage you to
do so. So with that, folks, we always appreciate you
spending some time with us on behalf of my dear
Amy Robot. I'm t J.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Holmes.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Talk to her
Speaker 4 (23:11):
H
Hey, folks, it it's Friday, July seventeenth, and we just
wanted to hop on because we wanted to share that
you hear, in her own words, the mother of Nolan
Wells to tell you how she's doing in the midst
of an unimaginable grief for a parent. Welcome to this
episode of Amy and TJ. Rose. We are always impressed
(00:23):
anytime these big stories come up. We've seen plenty in
our careers when someone loses a child in whatever manner,
they get thrust into a national, sometimes international spotlight, and
I have always been in awe of how they handle it.
And here I am once again. This is unbelievable that
(00:43):
this family is keeping it together the way they are.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I was so impressed.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
I agree with Nolan Wells's mom, Christine Wansley is her name,
And it was a little surprising, actually was a lot
surprising to see that she posted a video and when
when you listen to this woman and she is a
strong mother who actually took the time to thank people
(01:09):
for their kindness, for their support, for their thoughts and prayers,
and she actually even apologizes in this video for not
being able to reply sooner or to reply to everyone.
I can only imagine how overwhelming, in a good way,
it is for her to see that she's got so
many people collectively who she's never met, who she'll never know,
(01:31):
giving her basically a virtual hug. It matters, It means something.
Anyone who's been through anything understands just how impactful a
message a one line text can be when you're going
through the worst. And she it's so nice to know
that people are reaching out to her and giving her
that love. Her video already has two point one million
(01:54):
views as of this recording. That's significant, and that means
something that matters. It really does, and you can tell
it matters to her, this.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Incredible interest right now in what happened to Nolan Wells,
her eighteen year old son who died under mysterious circumstances.
So on the weekend of fourth or ju line but
Rose we talk about and you just say, we're always
impressed with parents who can keep it together after the
loss of a child, always tragic. What's the line, No
parents should outlive a child. We've covered some awful tragedies
(02:23):
lately with kids accidentally shooting each other, right, and so
we have some awful, awful stuff rose, this is the
case as awful as those are. As we are sitting here,
she still doesn't know what happened to her kid.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
She doesn't, and she has a lot of questions, and
they are understandably demanding and asking for answers in this
case because we don't know. All we know is that
eighteen year old Nolan Wells left with his friends on
a boat to Horn Island off the golf course coast
of Mississippi, and he never returned, only for authorities to
(02:57):
find his body two days later in the waters off
that island. And we have no cause of death, and
we have no understanding of how, why, or even when
he died.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
That is true, too, optimed. We'll give you the update
at least on the case, and we're going to let
you hear from her in just a moment. They rose,
It's the case is moving forward. There's a DA investigation
going on, excuse me, a sheriff's investigation going on. To
give you those updates. First, the mom met with the DA.
They said it was a respectful meeting. It sounds like
the tone in the back and forth they're striking the
(03:32):
right one on both sides. Right now, Is that z yes, and.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
That is comforting to know because obviously there had been
two very divisive sides of this. There were all sorts
of accusations and even death threats towards some of the
kids who Nolan Wells was on that boat with. So yes,
it was getting ugly, and I do feel like news
or a headline that the family met with the DA.
(03:55):
They had a respectful conversation, they're sharing information. They've given
acts to Nolan's phone for authorities to investigate what may
or may not have been removed or deleted from his
phone as a part of their investigation. And we also
got a headline from the DA, and I think this
was really comforting for a lot of people who do
have questions that a grand jury is going to be
(04:18):
going through any and all of the evidence collected at
the end of this police investigation.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
And they're going to be the ones to determine if
charges should be filed against anybody. They do add that
nugget that caveat roll. If we hear Curry and jury
looking into something indictment possible, we always that means does
not mean automatically that this is a criminal issue yet,
and we just don't know. Two autopsies are still pending,
one from the family and independent one and one from
(04:45):
the medical examiner there in Mississippi. The other nugget wrote
the family of the DA they agreed to go over
the phone together. The phone was given back to them.
She didn't have to turn it back over or did
she as part of evidence.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
She may have let them have access to it at
least hearing were they sharing with her or she's sharing
with them, because because we actually heard the sheriff say,
we haven't even seen the phone. And so the parents
in good faith brought the phone with them by all accounts,
and said, hey, let's we'll give you access to this
because look, everyone I believe hopefully has the same goal
(05:19):
to find out what happened, to find out if something
criminal happened to their son, and the phone could be
key to that.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
This is it's interesting and I am really heartened by this.
It's that not that they met, but the reports coming
from both sides are saying, yes, we're being collaborative. It's
not like the da is coming out and saying they're
asking them too much. It's not like the families coming
out and said they were stonewalling. Is it it's like
we're working together and trying to figure this out. That
(05:50):
is so important right.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Now, So that actually it's everything with the tensions that
we're building there in that state, that state that is
steeped in racial injustice. So yes, that was necessary and
and really like you feel like your shoulders relax a
little like, Okay, they're talking, they're they're collaborating, they're working together,
and they have the same goal at the end of
(06:12):
all of this, and that that does at least, I
mean personally, having covered so many of this kind of
story unfortunately, it does give you at least a little
hope that we're headed in the right direction towards truth.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Well thee you talk about truth, that's very important, but Robes,
it's important for the family to be able to we
need to know or the public needs to know, and
in particular, the black community in Mississippi needs to know
that the family is okay with the investigation. Yes, that's key, Roes.
We saw this down and what's my man's name down
(06:45):
in Carmelo, right came in Texas when the family that
really will stir up a community if the family itself
doesn't believe there's been justice for their child. So it's
important that the family is leading the way on. Let's
be patient, let's be calm, and let's find out what happened.
That is such an important, frankly service they're doing to
(07:07):
the community Trum. Right now, we want you to hear.
Now here she is. She put this up. This went
up yesterday, yesterday on Thursday. This is the mother of
Nolan Wells with her plea to the public.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
Take a listen, Hey, bow bears. I know you probably
did not expect to see me, but I had to
come on because I wanted to.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
Acknowledge all of your love, your support, your kindness that
you guys have been showing me. I wanted to, you know,
answer each and every one of you, and I probably.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Will at some point. I will as a point, but
right now it's just everything is so heavy. Everything is
so heavy.
Speaker 6 (07:52):
Just been going through the motions, you know, a health
care provider. So I talk about grief a lot. Now
to be on the.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Other side of this is.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
It's a lot. So I lost my mom a few
years ago and that was hard.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
This loss, this grief, this pain, it's different, it's insurmountable.
And then it's like you get these flood of emotions,
all at different times, and grief is so multi layered.
You know, one second I might be okay and I
(08:32):
can talk about things that I can listen to his stories,
and then the next minute, I am falling apart and
I feel like I can't breathe, and I feel like
there is an elephant just sitting on my shist.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
But you know, I know this is the process. I
have a wonderful supports system. I have my faith in God,
which I've been leaning heavy into. But I just wanted
to let you guys know that I see you, I
love you, I'm thankful for all of you, and I'm
so sorry that I hadn't been able to reply. I
(09:06):
don't know exactly when again I'll post. For some reason.
It does help, and I know if no one was here,
he'd be like, Mom, you know, just keep talking to
the people, keep telling my story, keep telling your story.
So that is going to be my plan again. Thank
you all so much. I love you, and I will
talk to you later. Bye.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
What stood out to you through it all? And we've
listened to and watched this several times since she put
it out.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
I was just so impressed you talked just a few
moments ago about the service, the service.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
That she did for the community to.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Let people know that the investigation is collaborative and that
everyone can calm down for a moment and be assured
that they're on the same team with investigators. But I
think this message to the the public was also a
tremendous service. Her willingness to be vulnerable, to be authentic,
to talk about her grief that impacts so many people. Unfortunately,
(10:11):
in this country, so many mothers know what it's like
to lose a child, and it's I'm imagining, isolating, devastating,
something that you feel like no one could possibly understand.
So for her to put words to that as a
healthcare provider, as someone who actually was around others grief,
and to speak of her own and to say that
(10:33):
she feels like she can't breathe sometimes, that in moments
she's okay, and then in other moments she feels like
she has the weight of an elephant on her chest.
I just felt like, when you are willing to share
those feelings and that experience, and that had to be
so hard for her to express the impact she is
having on so many other mothers and families and frankly,
(10:54):
anyone who has suffered a devastating, unexpected loss that is
so powerful, and I just it just shows what kind
of person she is. Everyone speaks so highly of Nolan Wells,
and we've talked about this posthumously. Everyone says, oh, he
was the perfect man. But truly, everyone who has ever
(11:15):
known or been around Nolan Wells speaks about his kindness,
his positivity, his joy, his his aura, his energy. I
don't know much about his father, but watching Christine's video,
I see where he got it from.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
I didn't realize she was a healthcare worker. Makes sense,
and you know what stood It seems like a minor
thing that told me so much. She started by saying
who bears she did? She said this little affectionate thing
to the audience. It was so motherly, It was so
healthcare worker ish, it was so it was so maternal.
(11:55):
It was, uh, I don't know why that because I
heard so much to buy the video before I saw it,
my shoulders relaxed, Yeah, and I felt like Robes. She
was taking care of me instead of her needing me
to take care of her. She gave us permission to relax,
to be okay, to wait the process out and to
(12:16):
feel how we're feeling. I don't know. I don't know
if that was her intention, but like you said, just
who she is, I that was incredible. But she did,
and she cried through much of it, and she smiled
at times through some of it.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
That's just yeah, she displayed every authentic emotion I imagine
anyone would be going through because she's still in shock,
let's be honest. This was fourth of July weekend. But
she had a healthy, beautiful, incredible young man who was
her son, who was in college playing football, who had
hopes and dreams, and part of her is probably still
(12:53):
in that space where how could he not be here anymore?
And so for her to be just trying to get
her head and heart around the awful truth of it,
She's willing to share with us where she is in
that process. And I just think that that's so important
and it's so brave and it's so courageous.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
I don't think people understand just.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
How hard it is to expose yourself like this, especially
when you know people are talking about you, talking about
your son around the world, and to know suddenly now
you are in the spotlight. And she took that spotlight
and she did good with it, and I just think
it was so impressive.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Was the other thing we have. I mean, as we
sit here as of this recording, this is two weeks.
It's coming up on two weeks since she last all
saw her son, right, because it was Friday, July third
when she he went over and cooked.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
This is exactly two weeks since the last time she's
and the last time she'll ever see her son.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yeah, and so here we said two weeks and she
still don't know why her son is gone. So yeah,
I thought this was impressive. It was brave. I don't
know if her intent was just to say thank you
or she did have and someone say, hey, you need
to talk to the people. You need to give a message,
to give something positive and hopeful and maybe even calm
(14:19):
some things down. Because some stuff out there is a
little nasty. I don't want to include this. And this
is the first probably podcast we've done about Nolan Wells
in which we're not incorporating some of the uglinesses out there,
because this woman was all beauty in this video. We
also did find out about funeral arrangements. Stay here will
tell you what is going to happen this weekend and
(14:40):
into next Monday.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Welcome back everyone to this episode of Amy and TJ.
We are talking about the mother of Nolan Wells. She
made a powerful emotional video to her social media account
on Thursday, and it really went a long way towards
healing us. And I know that sounds silly, but so
many of us have felt emotionally connected to this story,
(15:13):
especially because we just don't know that much. But she
actually even spoke about making these videos or talking about
her son actually is healing for her too, that it
helps her along the journey. And I can only imagine
hearing back from all of these people who are messaging
her and her family via social media. It matters that
(15:33):
Nolan mattered. It matters that people care about her son.
Just imagine if this were you, and that is just
the worst place you could possibly be in as a parent.
But to know that your child's life was important and
is still important, and to carry on his message. She
talked about that, and we are learning about how they
are and how we all are going to be honoring
(15:55):
Nolan Wells. His funeral is going to be taking place
beginning with the visitor, but on Monday morning, July twentieth.
It's going to be there at Center Point Church in
Ocean Springs. But the cool thing is they're opening this
up to everyone, the media included. The media is allowed
to attend. Family friends, former teammates, his middle school, high school,
(16:17):
and college football teams are all going to be there.
This is going to be a massive show of support
and love for Nolan Wells.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
It is going to be here.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
We gotmrob how many times we got to go through
this dead black man. It comes sharped and doing the
eulogy right, it seems like I'm not dismissing that. I'm
saying it's the same pattern it feels so often. We
don't know what happened to this young black man. It
is possible he could have accidentally drowned. Absolutely could have happened.
(16:49):
I think Robes didn't. This all gets set off. Robes
didn't this all gets set off when the the sheriff
came out so immediately.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
I think that's the big misstep that was made to
jump to a conclusion of no foul play and accidental drowning.
That was too soon. There are still too many question marks,
and that very well may be what happened. But to
automatically rush to that creates suspicion.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
It just does.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
And that is fair if that was anyone's kid, but
especially if it's a black kid with an all white
friend group. In the state of Mississippi, there should have
been even extra sensitivity given to the circumstances given the
state's history period.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
There wasn't. They didn't look at it through that lens.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
And I can understand why they don't have to. They
don't have to, but Robed it's I'm not sure. I
haven't seen because I thought we'd have autopsic results by now.
No from the independent one. They said they finished the
autops of the medical examer but they're still waiting on toxicology.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Yes, and that always, for whatever reason, seems to take
so long. So we'll be waiting for that. But I
also we heard obviously from Christine on her social media video,
but she also said some beautiful things about what we're
going to be able to expect on Monday at Nolan's funeral,
and I love what she said. Christine said, we want
to celebrate Nolan. He would not want us to be
(18:14):
sitting around crying and eating.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
That is so cool.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
She said, what we're going to do is kind of
have a party to celebrate him, and that will be
held at Jackson County Fairgrounds. I just got chills from
head to toe because I think if any of us
can imagine what we would want for our family and
friends once we're gone, I don't think any of us
want someone sitting around.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
I mean, maybe some people want people to feel pain.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Oh, I actually feel like maybe you might joke and
say that, but I have often said the same thing,
like I want there to be rose flowin' champagne bottles popped.
I want eighties music playing, and I want people dancing
and celebrating. And if you want to remember a few
fun moments we had along the way, great, But I
don't want crying and son and misery. That's not what
(19:02):
any of us want. I just think it's so cool
because it's one thing for us to want that, but
to have a parent be able to recognize that and
say this is what we're going to do, Because what
she probably wants to do is cry, go into fetal
position and feel awful, But instead she says she's going
to honor her son because she knows what he would
have wanted. And I just love the idea of going
to the fair grounds, the Jackson County Fairgrounds and having
(19:25):
a big old party to celebrate.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Her son. That is amazing and that's hard to do.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
She gave us permission to do it as well. She
gave us permission to have whatever emotion and feeling you're
having right now. If you want to cry like yourself out,
if you want to come over here and just dance
and have a good time, you can do it as well.
Rope some of the best, some of the biggest, craziest
celebrations and parties I have ever been to growing up.
We're at black funerals.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Baby, you know what.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
They're homegoing celebrations. They're different, bands are playing. I have
seen a full band with a drummer up on going.
I have seen these to where you almost feel awkward,
like what are we doing? Somebody's dead. But once you
understand robes what it means in some traditions and traditions
in some communities, this is what it's supposed to be.
(20:10):
This is a celebration of life. It's a home going,
not a homecoming. It's a home going, and people put
their faith in that and have She has to be
assured robes that he is where he's supposed to be now,
in a better place than he was, and she needs
that right now.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
I love that you just explained that, because I don't
think a lot of white people have seen that. And
I will tell you the first exposure I had to
it was as a reporter in Charleston, South Carolina, and
I went to my first black funeral, and first I
went to the home and then went to the funeral,
and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I heard music, playing, laughter, dancing,
(20:50):
and that was nothing what I was accustomed to. Because look,
I know we're generalizing here, but white white people. The
white funerals I've been to Catholic Mass is solemn, crying,
sacred music.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
It's scary almost, it's so sad.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
So to see something completely opposite taking place, I remember saying, well, hello,
this is the page I want to take out of
how to do a funeral rite.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
That is what we should be doing.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
I know should be as hard when you're feeling incredible
pain and loss, but I was blown away at the beauty.
And you know what, I remember pulling I saw it
was on John's Island. I still remember pulling up to
the house and seeing so many cars that we couldn't
even find a place to park. Our news struck because
so many people had just come and I was like, Wai,
are we at the right place, because this can't possibly
(21:40):
be a funeral. But it was, and it was so
amazing and awesome to witness. I'll never forget it, and
I love that this is what we're going to see
for Nolan Wells.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
And they actually went out.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
She also went on to say, we want to thank
mister Tyler Perry for paying for the funeral, as well
as Colin Kaepernick for shouldering the expense of the independent autopsy,
and to Reverend Al Sharpton for agreeing to officiate the
funeral services.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
That's pretty dang cool.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
I'll pay attention on Monday, folks, if nothing else, If
you have it, this might be something you've never seen before.
We don't know exactly how it's going to go, but
I mean, he's eighteen, he's essentially a kid football players,
He's a social media generation. They have a different energy
and vibe and this it should reflect. It's this. It's
(22:32):
sad as hell. Every black funeral, yes, sad, and they're
always tears. But man, we go out of our way
to make sure they're more smiles and positive remembrances than
just the final moments whatever they might have been, so
that is good on her. Hats off to this. We
talk about the mom so much, but the dad has
been right there through absolutely fireside. So we wanted to
(22:55):
pass that along. Wanted you to hear her words if
you hadn't heard them. If you get a chance to
go online to find her video and see her say
those words as well as well, we encourage you to
do so. So with that, folks, we always appreciate you
spending some time with us on behalf of my dear
Amy Robot. I'm t J.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
Holmes.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Talk to her
Speaker 4 (23:11):
H
Hosts And Creators
Amy Robach
T.J. Holmes
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