As the family of Nolan Wells searches for answers following his death after a July Fourth trip to Mississippi’s Horn Island, Jack and Jill of America is channeling collective grief into action. The nation’s oldest Black family organization released a statement this week honoring the 18-year-old college football player while calling on parents to have difficult conversations about friendship, accountability, and safety.
On Thursday, July 9, Jack and Jill of America shared the statement titled “Our Sons Deserve to Grow Old: In loving memory of Nolan Xavier Wells” across social media. It’s a direct acknowledgment of the pain Wells’ family is experiencing, paired with a broader challenge to the community about how we protect young Black men.
“He was loved, gifted, and full of promise,” the organization wrote. “His passing calls us to reflect on the sacred responsibility we share to protect our children, strengthen their instincts, and build circles of care rooted in dignity, accountability, and mutual concern.”
The statement taps into a fear many parents carry while offering concrete guidance. Jack and Jill emphasized that protection starts with honest conversation. “That begins in knowing who our children are with, how they are moving, and whether the people around them are truly committed to their safety.”
The message reinforced a principle that resonates across generations: “Our sons deserve to grow old. Every Black child deserves to come home. No child should ever be treated as disposable.”
Practically, the organization reminded families to talk with their children, know their friends, create safety plans, and uphold the old-school wisdom that “If we go together, we leave together.”
Founded in 1938 by Marion Stubbs Thoman, Jack and Jill serves over 50,000 families nationwide. The nonprofit has long focused on educational, cultural, and social enrichment for African American children ages 2 to 19.
Wells disappeared during a boating trip to Horn Island on July 4. His friends returned to the mainland without him, prompting his mother, Christine Wonsley, to report him missing. His body was recovered two days later. The family has since retained civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump and called for a full, transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
★TR★
