A volunteer who helped search for Nolan Xavier Wells has shared emotional details about the desperate effort to find the missing teenager, describing his mother’s heartbreaking plea for help and the challenging conditions rescuers faced around Mississippi’s Horn Island.

The 18 year old disappeared during a Fourth of July outing with friends at Horn Island, a popular destination about 10 miles off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. His final known photo showed him smiling aboard a boat in blue swim trunks and sunglasses, surrounded by friends before he vanished.

After Nolan failed to return home that evening, his mother, Christine Wonsley, reported him missing and turned to social media, asking anyone who had photos or videos from the island to come forward.

“We have so many questions,” she wrote. “Our hearts are breaking. We keep waiting for Nolan to walk through that door with his beautiful smile.”

Her appeal quickly reached the United Cajun Navy, whose incident commander, Josh Gill, immediately began coordinating search efforts.

Gill said Wonsley personally contacted him, desperately hoping volunteers could help locate her son, who was preparing to begin his football career at Southwest Mississippi Community College.

Within minutes of receiving the request, volunteers deployed multiple search resources.

“We had boats already searching the area, drones in the air, and volunteers walking the island,” Gill explained. “Everyone moved as quickly as possible.”

Although Wonsley was clearly overwhelmed, Gill said she remained remarkably composed while answering difficult questions that could help direct the search.

“She was frantic because she wanted to find her son,” he recalled. “But she stayed calm enough to provide the information we needed.”

Gill also described the difficult environment around the northwest section of Horn Island, where Nolan was last seen. According to him, the area experiences powerful tidal currents because it sits between two islands, creating rapidly changing water conditions even when the water itself is relatively shallow.

“There is a strong tidal surge through that pass,” Gill said. “Wind, waves, and the tides can change conditions very quickly.”

Josh Gill, a volunteer with the United Cajun Navy, was the incident commander for the search for Nolan Wells

Investigators believe Nolan was last seen around 3 p.m. on July 4 after deciding to remain on the island while some of his friends returned to the mainland.

The extensive search ended Monday morning when a member of the National Park Service discovered a body near the area where Nolan had last been seen. Gill said the United Cajun Navy aircraft was still conducting aerial searches when rescuers received the devastating news.

The body was located only a short distance from Nolan’s last known location. His family later confirmed the remains were his.

In an emotional statement, Wonsley thanked family members, volunteers, law enforcement officers, and everyone who participated in the search.

“My heart is broken for our sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others,” she wrote. “Nolan was a special soul.”

John Ledbetter has said investigators currently believe Nolan likely drowned, although the investigation remains active and authorities have not ruled out additional possibilities while awaiting autopsy and toxicology results.

Detectives are also examining a viral social media video that reportedly captured a heated argument near the shoreline around the time Nolan disappeared. Officials have not confirmed whether the footage is authentic or connected to the case, but they continue to ask anyone with original photos, videos, or firsthand information from Horn Island on July 4 to contact investigators.

Seeking further answers, Nolan’s parents have retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death.

Meanwhile, Nolan’s close friend Jayvon Williams recalled their final conversation before they separated on the island. Williams said Nolan told him, “I love you,” shortly after they arrived. The two had traveled on different boats because the one they originally planned to ride together filled up before departure.

Williams also revealed that both teenagers had left their phones on the boat they arrived in. He later recovered his own phone, while Nolan’s mother was eventually able to retrieve her son’s device as investigators continued working to piece together his final hours.