Dear Nolan,

Happy 19^th Birthday! On what would have been your golden birthday, we thought it was fitting to remind you of how much you were and are loved. Your mom, Christine Wonsley and your dad, Elmore Wonsley, have been working tirelessly since July 4, 2026, to fight for justice on your behalf. In fact, your mother has pleaded with the world not to stop saying your name: Nolan Xavier Wells. And here at ESSENCE, that is exactly what we continue to do, say your name: on our website and social media channels.

Before your mother even made this heartfelt plea, we could see that you were deeply loved and supported by your village. Not everyone receives genuine love and support from their family. But we saw it in the pictures your parents shared of you all at your football games and graduation. They were so proud. You were so happy. The care, concern and compassion shared between you three was palpable. We know this type of connection is plentiful in Black families; even if the world rarely acknowledges it.

With the help of leaders like attorney Benjamin Crump and activist Rev. Al Sharpton, your loving parents have made it abundantly clear that they are committed to fighting until answers are received about how and why your life was cut short on that holiday excursion to Horn Island near your Ocean Springs, MS childhood home. Mississippi. The same state where young Emmett Till was brutally murdered. The same state that holds the largest number of documented lynchings in U.S. history; 656 between 1877 and 1955 to be exact. The same state where NAACP soldier Medgar Evers was assassinated by a White supremacist for his selfless work to end segregation and inequality.

Mississippi has a hurtful past (and present) yet that didn’t stop your parents from seemingly giving you a special and memorable childhood. You graduated from Ocean Springs High School (OSHS) in 2025 as a multi-sport student athlete. “Nolan was so much more than an outstanding football player. He carried himself with humility, treated others with respect, worked hard and led by example,” said Jake Bramlett, OSHS Head Football Coach. You were finding your way in the world as a young adult too. At Southwest Mississippi Community College, you were a star wide receiver for the school’s football team. You were majoring in business. Perhaps you had your sights set on being an entrepreneur one day like your mother did with her thriving healthcare practice as a nurse practitioner.

Would you have wanted a party for your birthday? Maybe. You seemed like a good dancer from the videos we’ve witnessed of you confidently showing off your footwork and cutting a rug with your friends. You likely had no idea while recording them that people witnessing your #BlackBoyJoy while recreating to trendy TikTok dances would become an act of resistance and revolution. Our community is collectively mourning the loss of your life. However, there is some solace in us knowing you experienced that kind of freedom through dance while you were here in the physical form.

Celebrities from near and far have spoken out to demand justice in your name. Colin Kaepernik helped fund and facilitate an independent autopsy for your body. Tyler Perry also offered your family financial support, as did Terrell Owens, Byron Allen and Spike Lee. There was even a candlelight vigil held in your memory on Martha’s Vineyard, as well as a special panel discussion with your parents moderated by Tiffany Cross in Atlanta last week at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention last week.

Everyone, but especially your dear and devoted parents, simply want transparency. They are literally begging for the truth. All the while, some people have tried to throw dirt on her name and her livelihood. She remains the epitome of grace, class and dignity. And your father is always by her side, distinguished, determined and steadfast. There are some people who were betting on them not working together as a team and as two people who love each other and love their children. They bet wrong. Those same people were also assuming that your story would not leave your hometown or the state. They too were wrong. The entire world now knows your name and the demand for justice grows louder by the day.

We have all looked at pictures of you with your charming smile and thought of our own sons, brothers, nephews, godchildren and neighbors. How could we not? When your body was found in the waters near Horn Island on July 6^th, we all hoped that legitimate answers as to how you got there would follow. Instead, we are left confused, angry and frustrated more than a month later.

Nolan Xavier Wells, Happy 19^th Birthday!We will continue to say your name, fight for justice and support your family.