Barely two weeks after her son, Nolan Wells, was found deceased on the shores of Mississippi’s Horn Island, Christine Wonsley took to Instagram in a tearful video to speak out about the tragic loss that has permanently altered her family’s world and how she plans to keep her son’s memory alive.
“Hey boo bears, I know you probably did not expect to see me, but I had to come on because I wanted to acknowledge all of your love, your support, [and] your kindness that you guys have been showing me,” Wonsley began in the clip, shared on Thursday (July 16). “I wanted to answer each and every one of you—and I will at some point, but right now, everything is so heavy.”
Wonsley briefly paused as her eyes welled up with tears. “[I’ve] just been going through the motions, you know? I’m a healthcare provider so I talk about grief a lot, and now to be on the other side of this is a lot,” she added.
She went on to explain how her mother’s passing, though deeply painful, did not compare to the devastating loss of her child.
Related: Nolan Wells’ Inner Circle Clears up Internet Myths
“I lost my mom a few years ago, and that was hard. This loss, this grief, this pain, it’s different. It’s insurmountable. It’s like you get these flood of emotions all at different times—grief is so multi-layered. One second I might be OK and I talk about things and I can listen to his stories, and then the next minute I am falling apart and I feel like I can’t breathe. I feel like there’s an elephant sitting on my chest,” Wonsley continued.
Yet, even in those darkest, most suffocating moments, Wonsley is holding onto the anchors keeping her afloat. “I know this is the process—I have a wonderful support system. I have my faith in God, which I have been leaning heavy into,” Wonsley said.
Wonsley ended her video by sending love to her viewers, expressing her deep gratitude for their overwhelming support, and apologizing for not being able to reply to everyone individually as she navigates her grief.
“I know if Nolan was here he’d be like, ‘Mom just keep talking to the people. Keep telling my story, keep telling your story.’ So that is going to be my plan,” Wonsley concluded.
In the video’s caption, she wrote how her son’s death is still so fresh that she hasn’t been able to grieve. “This loss hits so differently than anything I’ve ever experienced. My heart will never be whole again. My sweet Nolan your light will continue to shine and I’m grateful to the Lord for the time we had. Forever in our hearts,” Wonsley wrote.
The fight for justice for Nolan Wells is officially moving to the next phase. Following a crucial meeting with the Jackson County District Attorney, civil rights attorney Ben Crump—who is representing Wells’ family, as The Root reported—announced that the teen’s case will be presented to a grand jury the moment the sheriff’s office wraps up its investigation.
As his family demands answers, the community is preparing to say their final goodbyes. Nolan Wells’ funeral is scheduled for Monday, July 20, at Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, WLOX 13 reported. Christine Wonsley said there will be a celebration of life after the funeral at the Jackson County Fairgrounds.
“We do want to keep it for family and friends… Teammates, former teammates… We want to celebrate Nolan,” Wonsley said. “He would not want us sitting around… crying.”
