National prayer rally set for Nolan Wells on what would have been his 19th birthday
TheGrio...
A national prayer rally for Nolan Wells is set for Aug. 19 in Biloxi, Mississippi, with Dr. Jamal Bryant delivering the keynote.
The community rallying behind Nolan Wells is preparing to gather in Mississippi on a date that carries painful significance: the day the teenager should have been celebrating his 19th birthday.
Dr. Jamal Bryant announced the National Prayer Rally on his Instagram page, calling supporters to Greater St. John AME Church in Biloxi on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 7 p.m. Bryant, who will serve as keynote speaker, framed the gathering as both a spiritual and collective act of solidarity with the Wells family.
“Nolan Wells should be turning 19 on the 19th but he’s NOT!” Bryant wrote, urging supporters to make their way to the Gulf Coast. “All roads lead to Mississippi in two weeks. Prayer is a weapon that never runs out of ammunition.” He closed the message with a pointed declaration that has echoed across the case since July: “This is not over!!”
The rally, promoted as airing live from Mississippi, arrives roughly six weeks after Nolan was found dead near Horn Island following a Fourth of July boat outing with friends.
The 18-year-old, a graduate of Ocean Springs High School and a wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College, was remembered by those who knew him as humble, kind and grounded, with his former coach describing his character as louder than his accomplishments.
In the weeks since, his family has pressed relentlessly for transparency, retaining civil rights attorney Ben Crump, commissioning an independent autopsy and raising questions about inconsistencies in accounts of that day. Autopsy and toxicology results from the state remain pending, and no cause or manner of death has been released.
The involvement of Bryant, one of the most visible faith leaders in Black America, adds to a growing list of national figures who have stepped forward on the family’s behalf, including Tyler Perry, Colin Kaepernick, Rev. Al Sharpton and WNBA star Natasha Cloud.
For Nolan’s mother, Christine Wonsley, who has fielded hate mail and online harassment while grieving, the rally represents another show of support from people determined not to let her son’s name fade. The gathering is open to those who wish to stand with the family, with organizers positioning it as a moment to keep both prayer and pressure alive.