As the family of 18-year-old Nolan Wells prepares to lay him to rest, his grieving mother says they are now being targeted with hateful mail for demanding answers about his death.
Christine Wonsley shared a photo on social media of an anonymous piece of mail sent to her home featuring images of civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton and attorney Ben Crump with large dollar signs superimposed over their faces, a longtime racist trope used to discredit Black activists and suggest they profit from tragedy.
The sender did not include a return address.
“Whoever sent this to my home, may the good Lord have mercy on your soul,” Wonsley wrote.
“Bold enough to send this crap but not bold enough to list your return address. This is America where a grieving mother and father have to deal with this type of behavior because we asked a simple question of what happened to our son and accepted all the help we could get to find answers. Please go touch some grass.”
The disturbing message sparked immediate outrage online, with supporters condemning the anonymous harassment of a family still mourning the loss of their son.
Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett blasted the harassment.
“This country is really showing how ugly it really is… people used to keep this mess to their little weekly klan meetings,” Crockett wrote. “STOP HARASSING people who have already endured the UNTHINKABLE!”
Licensed psychologist, writer and comedian Erin Harper also weighed in.
“These people will burn in hell,” Harper wrote. “Meanwhile, may you and your family be lifted and protected. This community will be devoting our collective energy to your healing, health, peace, and justice.”
Questions Continue to Surround Wells’ Death
The hateful mailing comes as Wells’ family continues pressing authorities for answers about what happened to the Mississippi teenager.
Wells, an 18-year-old football player, disappeared after spending the Fourth of July with friends during an all-day outing on Horn Island, off the coast of Ocean Springs. His body was recovered on July 6.
Authorities have said there are no initial indications of foul play but have not ruled it out. The official autopsy has not been completed.
Unsatisfied with the pace of the investigation, the family hired nationally known civil rights attorney Crump, who said an independent autopsy has also been conducted. Evidence will be turned over to a grand jury as investigators continue examining the case.
Race has also become a major point of discussion.
Sharpton joined Wells’ family during a recent news conference, noting that Wells, who was Black, had spent the holiday with three white friends before his death.
“He was one Black with three young white men who happened to end up with his phone, happened to end up with his keys,” Sharpton said.
Sharpton also questioned why Wells’ mother had to track down her son’s belongings herself rather than having the friends voluntarily disclose they had them.
“So some people are saying, ‘Reverend, are y’all bringing in race?'” Sharpton said. “Well, we’re not bringing in race, but we’re not discounting race, either, because we don’t know what it is. This does not smell right.”
While Nolan’s grandfather, Christopher Wells Sr., says he does not want people using his grandson’s death to promote racial division, he acknowledges that racism is still prevalent in America.
“I saw and dealt with racism going through school, while I was in the military and working for a government contractor after I separated from the military,” Wells wrote on Facebook. “I reside in Mississippi now; it’s home, but there are counties in this state I wouldn’t be caught in after dark.”
Funeral Scheduled Monday
Wells’ funeral will be held Monday at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs.
According to the family’s announcement, visitation is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed immediately by the funeral service.
“We do want to keep it for family and friends… Teammates, former teammates… We want to celebrate Nolan. He would not want us sitting around… crying,” Wonsley said at a press conference Wednesday.
It will be followed by a repass at the Jackson County Fairgrounds. Filmmaker Tyler Perry has reportedly volunteered to pay for the funeral costs.
