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Media mogul and late night host Byron Allen has donated $100,000 to the GoFundMe set up by the family of Nolan Xavier Wells, the 18-year-old who was found dead following his disappearance over the July 4 holiday. Wells’
death has sparked much suspicion and left unanswered questions after he took a boating trip with friends to Mississippi’s Horn Island.
The GoFundMe was set up earlier this week to assist Wells’ family, including mother Christine Wonsley. Among other notable names who have donated to the GoFundMe are comedian Lil Rel Howrey and Auburn football quarterback Deuce Knight. As of Saturday afternoon, the GoFundMe had raised $574,719, with a goal of $750,000. News of Allen’s donation was first reported by his website TheGrio.
“Our hearts are broken beyond words,” reads the description on the GoFundMe. “Nolan Xavier Wells was a beloved son, grandson, brother, friend and teammate whose life touched so many people. His smile, kind heart, and love for others left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him. After an extensive search involving countless volunteers from the United Cajun Navy, first responders, local law enforcement, the United States Coast Guard, and organizations from across the region , our worst fears became reality. While no words can ease the pain of this unimaginable loss, we are deeply grateful for every person who searched, prayed, shared his story, and stood beside our family during these difficult days.”
On Friday, during a press conference discussing the latest on Wells’ suspicious death, attorney Ben Crump announced that Tyler Perry had agreed to pay the family’s funeral costs, while Colin Kaepernick planned to pay for an independent autopsy. The Rev. Al Sharpton, who attended the press conference, will handle Wells’ funeral service.
Wrote Perry on Instagram: ““As a son of the South and a person who to this day questions the death of my nephew in a Louisiana prison, and as an advocate who has been fighting for years to get answers for Marcia Williams about what happened to her son Terrance in Florida, I know what it’s like to not have the answers that loved ones so desperately need. The agony is debilitating. It is my hope that Nolan’s parents and all who knew and loved him get to the truth of what happened in Mississippi.”
According to Crump’s website, here are the current details on the case: “Nolan traveled by boat to Horn Island with a group of friends on Saturday, July 4, to celebrate the holiday. He was last seen on the island around 3 p.m. and did not return with the group, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. His mother reported him missing that night, and local, state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the National Park Service, joined a two-day search. On the morning of Monday, July 6, a U.S. park ranger found a body at the northwestern tip of the island, and Nolan’s family confirmed his death later that day. An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday, July 7. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter has said the investigation remains active, and the cause of Nolan’s death has not been determined.”
