Colin Kaepernick pays for independent Nolan Wells autopsy as family refutes drowning – and Hollywood actor funds funeral

HOLLYWOOD celebrities and political activists are lining up to offer help to the family of a promising college football player who vanished on the Fourth of July while on a boat with his friends.

Nolan Wells, 18, was on a holiday boat trip with friends when he vanished on Horn Island, about 10 miles from the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

 

A mᴀssive search effort was launched for Nolan after he was reported missing, and officials confirmed they found a body resembling the 18-year-old on Monday near where he was last seen.

Investigators in Jackson County have yet to positively identify the body found as Nolan as they await a full autopsy report.

The body has since been flown to Washington DC for an independent autopsy, according to the family’s attorney, Ben Crump.

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick helped organize the flight and paid for the autopsy.

Actor and producer Tyler Perry has also offered to help pay for Nolan’s funeral.

Civil rights activist Al Sharpton emphasized that Nolan’s case should have the “most thorough and objective investigation to lead to justice.”

“What we’ve been told does not make sense,” he said.

Sharpton said he was asked by the family to officiate the funeral and said they had just gotten off the phone with Perry on Friday afternoon.

Perry spoke out later on Friday, saying he understands “what it’s like to not have the answers that loved ones so desperately need.”

He mentioned how he went through a similar confusing loss with his nephew, who died in a Louisiana prison.

“It is my hope that Nolan’s parents and all who knew and loved him get to the truth of what happened in Mississippi,” the actor said.

Crump said the autopsy could come out in the next few days, saying they could have had it done sooner, but the flight to Washington DC was delayed due to inclement weather.

Nolan’s parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, have expressed concerns about the investigation in Mississippi due to racial aspects of the case and have requested an independent investigation.

“The family has some concerns about the state of Mississippi doing an investigation of the death of a young Black man, where a young White student may be looked at as having some culpability,” Crump said.

The U.S. Sun attended the press conference held by Nolan’s parents, Crump, and Sharpton on Friday, where Christine cast doubt on the preliminary evidence that suggests her son drowned.

 

 

 

Filmmaker and actor Spike Lee also attended the press conference in New York.

Authorities said they have not found any evidence of foul play and believe it is likely the 18-year-old drowned.

Nolan’s father said that his son was an “elite athlete” who knew how to swim, so “they’re just not accepting that Nolan drowned accidentally,” Crump previously said.

“Although I do absolutely respect law enforcement, just the fact that the accidental drowning thing, it made both me and his father uncomfortable,” Christine said on Friday.

“Why are we so quick to rush to this? We just, at the end of the day, want answers.”

Crump also questioned the notion that Nolan drowned, saying, “I mean, if he is drowning and nobody sees him drown? Nobody offers ᴀssistance, nobody trying to help him? It’s not adding up.”

He further questioned how Nolan’s body turned up on Monday when Nolan’s father and law enforcement officials searched the island on Sunday.

Nolan was last seen around 3pm on July 4 near the northwest part of Horn Island after going on a boat with his friends.

Christine reported him missing on Saturday evening when he didn’t return home.

Jayvon Williams, 17, revealed he last saw his best friend Nolan when they arrived separately at Horn Island and were supposed to ride together until the boat quickly filled up.

 

While on the island, Nolan was hanging out with a girl and chatting with another friend group, Williams said.

Another friend, Trace Carter, said he spoke to Nolan moments before he left for the island and told him to be careful.

“I got you. I’ll hit you up later,” Nolan told his friend.

Ashlee Cole, a Jackson County Chancery Court judge, revealed her son was among the group on the island and said the group left around 4:30pm.

Cole said “the boat was taking on water” and they had “issues with the bilge pump.”

She claimed Nolan “made a decision to stay on the island and return inland later with another group of friends.”

Nolan’s phone was left behind on the island and later returned to his family, who believe that messages had been deleted from it.

Crump said on Friday there was a video of an argument from the day Nolan disappeared where the teen was apparently overheard yelling, “Give me my freaking phone.”

The prominent attorney said witnesses who were at Horn Island at the time told him it was Nolan asking for his phone back in the video.

Investigators are probing a similar video, however, it’s unclear if the footage is authentic or connected to Nolan’s death.

The U.S. Sun has listened to the video Crump referenced at the press conference but it is unclear what was said and who is arguing on the beach.

Nolan was a standout football player at Southwest Mississippi Community College in the city of Summit.

Christine remembered her son at Friday’s press conference as someone with a big heart.

“Nolan is the kindest soul,” she said.