As Football Returns in Mississippi, Nolan Wells’ Younger Brothers and Former College Teammates Are Keeping His Memory Visible While His Family Continues Waiting for Answers About His Death
As football season returns across Mississippi, the absence of Nolan Wells is being felt on the fields where the young athlete once built friendships, made memories and became known for his personality as much as his play.
Wells, who starred at Ocean Springs High School before continuing his football career at Southwest Mississippi Community College, died over the July 4 weekend after he was reported missing following a boat party near Horn Island.
His body was recovered two days later.
Nearly two months later, his family is still waiting for answers about what happened to him. An independent autopsy did not establish a definitive cause of death, while findings from the state’s autopsy have remained sealed as prosecutors await a grand jury review that could determine whether charges will be pursued.
Now, as another football season begins, Wells’ brothers and teammates are carrying his memory with them.
Nolan Wells Remembered Differently on Two Football Fields
At Ocean Springs High School’s season opener, Wells’ younger brothers, Elmore Wonsley Jr. and Ethan Wonsley, took the field for the same program where Nolan once played.
There was no public moment of silence for Wells before the game and no visible team-wide helmet decal or on-field tribute. The school opened with a prayer and the national anthem before continuing with its season opener against Meridian.
Elmore offered his own tribute, writing “Nolan” across his eye black as he played alongside Ethan.
Ocean Springs has, however, dedicated its 2026 football media guide to Wells.
In a message included in the guide and shared publicly by Crystal Brantlett, wife of the school’s head football coach, Wells was remembered for the energy he brought to the program.
“Nolan was funny, spirited and truly full of life. He loved football and everything that came with being part of a team: the practices, the Friday nights, the friendships and the brotherhood,” Brantlett wrote. “He brought an unmistakable presence wherever he went and left an impression on his teammates, coaches and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”
The media guide is expected to be available during the school’s next home game.
Ocean Springs ultimately suffered a 47-9 loss to Meridian, one of the program’s largest defeats in decades.
Miles away, Wells’ former college teammates were beginning their season without the player who should have been preparing for his sophomore year.
Southwest Mississippi Teammates Honor No. 16
At Southwest Mississippi Community College, Wells’ presence remained unmistakable.
His No. 16 jersey and helmet remain inside the team’s locker room, untouched.
Players opened the season wearing “NW” decals on their helmets in remembrance of their former teammate. Others carried embroidered towels featuring Wells’ initials and “#LLNW,” short for “Long Live Nolan Wells.”
The tributes drew a response from Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley.
“Thank you Bryhsen (and team) for honoring your cousin, friend, and teammate,” Wonsley wrote on Facebook. “Wishing you the best season! 🩵 #JusticeForNolanWells #IStandForNolan #NolanMatters”
Wonsley and her family did not attend Southwest Mississippi’s opener. Instead, she and Nolan’s father were back in Ocean Springs watching their younger sons begin another high school football season.
For the family, that meant returning to a place filled with memories of Nolan while confronting everything that will now be missing.
“Elmore and I put on a brave face and held our heads high for our boys and showed up for their season opener,” Wonsley wrote after the game.
She said sitting inside Ocean Springs’ Hugh Pepper Stadium brought memories of Nolan rushing back.
“All I could do was fight back the tears because it is a reminder of who WE HAVE LOST as a family,” she wrote. “It’s a reminder that there is now a hole in our hearts that will never be filled.”
Wonsley said the start of football season also underscored the moments Nolan’s younger brothers will never have with him again.
“It’s a reminder that his younger brothers will not have him on the sidelines hyping them up during the Friday night games,” she wrote. “It’s a reminder of the future that is no longer possible.”
And nearly two months after Nolan Wells died, one reality continues to hang over every tribute.
“It’s a reminder that we still have no answers,” Wonsley wrote.
