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What a month it has been. I feel like there's a lot going on in the true crime world right now. I feel like there's so many big cases, so many big updates on big cases, new evidence, people speaking out, interviews, trials. All the things I wish I could show you, like a 360 view of what my desk looks like right now because I was researching so many different updates on so many different cases today. I feel like there is a lot going on, which is great because that means that cases are moving along and hopefully they're just moving closer to justice. Before we get too much into it, I've gotten a few messages and I've seen your comments on the audio quality of this podcast. I hear you. First of all, I also was playing around with the settings on my microphone. Obviously, like, I guess I'm not brand new to the podcast world, but I feel like I'm still, still figuring it out. I changed some settings around on the microphone. Let me know if that helps. If not, then I'm just gonna have to buy a new one. But I just need to let you guys know, I am one, so proud of this community, this family that we have built. I genuinely could not love you guys more. I don't say it enough, but I also genuinely believe that when it comes to true crime, all of my listeners, all of my followers, we truly have the victim's best interest at heart, as should always be the case. But it does fill me with, I guess the right word could be pride. That you guys are always so determined to find justice. And when something's weird or sus or just feels wrong, you guys are not afraid to call it out. And I love that about you because it truly, it's people like you all who keep these conversations alive that ultimately helps these victims receive the justice that they all deserve. Yeah, I feel like I was just thinking about that because I was obviously thinking about the Nolan Walsh case and all of the updates there. And I am just. I'm so glad that people are talking about this as much as they are, because we should be, because from day one in this case, something has just felt off. As you guys know, I covered this on TikTok. I assume most of you guys that listen to this podcast follow me on on TikTok. So I did talk about it over there, but there has been new information that has been released and we're going to catch up on all of in this podcast episode and I'm going to tell you everything that you need to know. And yeah, we'll go from there. As always, if you think that I missed anything or if I got anything wrong, please leave it in the comments so we can all talk about it together. Obviously, I research these cases to the best of my ability because I would hate to ever, ever, ever spread misinformation not only on this case but on any other. And I do feel pretty confident in my research. But if you think that I didn't touch or mention something that I should have, please comment it down below and we can talk about it. With all that being said, welcome to this episode of I wish you were here. I'm your host, Michelle Cuervo. We're going to start with a brief recap in case there's any of you that have not heard of this case. An 18 year old student athlete, his name is Nolan Wells, went out on a boat trip with his friends to celebrate the fourth of July that was this year, just last month. So very recent, Nolan went missing. He was the only one out of his friends to not return ashore and his body was later discovered in the water. But before we get to the island, the boat, the phone and the questions that have absolutely consumed the public for the past 17 days, you need to know who Nolan Xavier Walsh was because the people who love him have been very clear from the moment that they first went in front of any cameras that the story of how he died should not be told without first telling the story of how he lived. Nolan Wells was only 18 years old. He was a 2025 graduate of Ocean Springs High School and a wide receiver on the football team at Southwest Mississippi Community College, where he had just finished his freshman year on a scholarship. He was fast, he was disciplined, and he was the kind of player that coaches describe in terms that go way beyond just the kind of person that he was on the field. Ocean Springs head coach Jake Bramlett said that his character, quote, spoke louder than his accomplishments, that he was known for his humility, his work ethic and the way that he treated people. His principal calls him, quote, a remarkable student, teammate and a brother, and his friends call him one of their best. In February of 2025, just months before his death, Nolan sat down for a local television interview and talked about heading into the future alongside of the people that he loved the most. Quote it's truly a blessing being here with some of my best friends and teammates and most of us are all going to college together. It's just truly a Blessing. He was 18 years old. He was full of potential and genuinely happy and excited about the direction that his life was heading in. His his parents, Christine and Elmore, raised him with a specific kind of loyalty when it came to his friends and when it came to staying in a group, making it feel that much more out of character for him when people stated that Nolan decided to stay back on that island on his own. His father would later expand on this in an interview, which we will touch on in a bit. But first we need to understand what Nolan Wallace walked into that day on July 4th of 2026 and what he never walked back out of this day trip that Nolan Wallace went on on July 4th. It was a little day trip that had been in the works for quite a little while. According to Nolan's friend Tristan shepherd, the group had planned this trip as one last hurrah, a Fourth of July celebration before summer ended and before everyone had to go back to school, back to practice, back to all of their routines of their separate lives. Nolan Trayston, along with other friends and people that they knew, plan to take this boat out onto Horn island and spend the day out on the water. Pretty normal day. Horn island is a remote, undeveloped barrier island approximately 10 miles off of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It's accessible only by private boat and it is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore Federal Wilderness Land, meaning that there are no facilities, there is no drinking water, no staff, and no cell service. It is beautiful, but it is completely cut off from the mainland and on July 4th it usually draws in a crowd of boaters and beachgoers looking for exactly that kind of combination. Wild, open and free. GPS data obtained by CBS News confirmed that the boat that carried Nolan and his friends departed at 9:56am on July 4th and arrived at Horn island approximately one hour later around 11am the group had been drinking since late morning. They were letting loose. They were having fun. It's a holiday. It's a Saturday, and apart from the boat that Nolan was on, multiple other boats arrived at the island that day, all carrying people that they knew of. There were approximately 300 people on the island that day, all around the same age as Nolan, for the most part. And it started off, by everyone's account, like a great day, like the kind of great day that those kind of trips are supposed to be. At approximately 3pm Nolan Wells was last seen alive on the northwest end of Horn Island. He was shirtless, wearing blue swim trunks and black sunglasses. According to witnesses, Nolan had met a girl on the island that day. The two had connected, spent time together, and. And apparently because of her, Nolan had decided he wanted to stay. Quote, they met that day and it was kind of. It's kind of one of those things. He really did like her. But that was the only time that they had ever hung out at horn island on July 4th. That girl's name is Katie. Her mother, Gracie, confirmed via Facebook that her daughter was with Nolan that afternoon and has been in contact with his family. But her mother has also stated that Katie has absolutely no insight into. Into Nolan's disappearance and didn't know what happened to him after the two of them parted ways that day. So he was talking to her around 3pm then at approximately 4pm ish. The boat that Nolan and his friends had arrived on had began experiencing a mechanical issue, specifically an electrical problem that was causing the boat to take on water, according to Trayston Shepard, who has been described to be Nolan's childhood friend. By the way, I don't know if I said that the boat started experiencing an electrical issue. It was an issue with the. I think you pronounce it bilge pump. And that's why they had to return to shore. But Nolan told them that he would stay back on the island and catch a ride on someone else's boat. Audio of a call to a private towing company obtained by NBC News captured the moment that someone on the boat, assuming it was the driver of the boat, was called for help, saying, quote, we're sinking. Can you all please come? The dispatcher asked whether, aside from the boat taking on water, whether everyone on board was in good health otherwise. The caller said, yes, that everyone was out of the water. And he said that there was, quote, like seven people on the boat. According to GPS data and NBC News reporting, the boat then had to be towed back to shore. GPS data confirmed that the boat departed from horn island at 4:31pm and returned back to shore at 6:06pm Then it was taken to its original port, but then it was moved to Fort Bayou Boat Launch, where it arrived at 7:19pm the question that nobody has been able to cleanly answer, however, is what happened in the gap from 3pm when Nolan was last seen on the northwest end of the island and and 4:31pm when the boat left the island. But again, according to Trace's account, Nolan made the decision while they were figuring out the boat issue. He made the decision to stay behind with Katie and return back to the mainland on another friend's boat. That piece of information, though, it gets a little bit confusing because Nolan's family has said that Nolan told Katie that he was leaving the island to get on a friend's boat. But there's not any clarity on what boat he was referring to. Was it the boat that he arrived on or was it a different boat? And if it was a different one, what boat it was, who was on it and what happened to that plan has never been publicly confirmed. But what is confirmed is this. When the boat left horn island at 4:31pm Nolan was not on it, but his phone was also. So the boat left at 4:31pm it did not get to its final location until 7:19pm and by the sounds of it, it is possible that these quote unquote friends of his stayed on the boat until it got to the boat launch at 7.19pm I don't know that for sure, but it sounds like a possibility, which is concerning. If there was a lie, a decision made to say withhold information from the truth, that would have given that group 2 hours and 48 minutes to discuss what they were going to say and or to get their story straight. Again, not saying that happened. I'm not saying that anyone lied. I don't know anything. I wasn't there. I just thought that was important to mention. Nolan was reported missing on the 4th of July, a Saturday, because as soon as his parents learned that he did not come back with the group, they knew something was wrong and they immediately reported him missing as soon as he could. They have stated multiple times that Nolan deciding to separate from his group voluntarily would have been very, very unlike him. So after they realized that he's missing his parents then I feel like very naturally track his phone's location on live360 and they tracked his phone to it being back with one of his quote unquote friends. Nolan's keys also ended up with some of his friends, which is weird and concerning to say the least because a 19 year old boy would not just voluntarily give up his phone and his keys and say, yeah, that's good, take my stuff and I'll just stay on this island by myself and figure out a way to get back. And even if he did get on his friend's boat, a different boat, or if he was planning on getting on a different boat or whatever. Even if they didn't have any phone, cell service, and his phone wasn't working, it, to be frank, feels pretty unrealistic that a teenager would voluntarily give up his phone and his keys to someone else. That said, however, his friend has come out to say in regards to his other quote unquote friends having his phone and his keys, his friend has come out to say that at the beginning when they were all getting ready to swim in the lake, everyone just sort of stacked up their phones on the boat. Nolan just threw his phone in there along with, he said, 15 other phones, which does make sense because if you are swimming, you obviously don't need your phone. So could he have just forgotten his phone on the boat? I guess. But then again, for a 19 year old guy, odds are that if someone was leaving, if his friends were leaving and he knew that his phone was on there, he would have gotten his phone back before they left. Or at the very least, he would have asked someone to get it for him. And to make matters worse, or I guess weirder, for lack of a better word, when Nolan's mom did eventually get a hold of his phone, she noticed that messages, photos, videos, and recent Snapchat posts had been deleted. Who deleted them, when, why, and what exactly was deleted is something that has not been publicly explained. And I feel like a lot of answers are going to come when authorities hopefully do search his phone. Because even if things have been deleted, they have access to be able to get the videos or the pictures or the messages, whatever, even if they have been deleted. And another question that I have is how were they able to tell that things were deleted? Like I 100% believe them, of course. I just do wonder how his mom was able to tell that things had been deleted. Obviously glad that she was, but yeah, anyway. So once Nolan had officially been reported missing, a search for him ensued. His family then also posted pictures of him all over social media, begging for the public's help in finding him. His mom took to Facebook immediately, describing exactly where Nolan had last been seen, what he was wearing, and pleading for anyone on Horn island that day to come forward with any photos or any possible videos that could have Nolan in the background. That post spread rapidly, and by the morning of July 5, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office had launched a formal multi agency search for approximately 40 hours. One of the most extensive search operations the Mississippi Gulf coast had seen in recent years took place on Horn island and the surrounding waters. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office coordinated with the United Cajun Navy, the the U.S. coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, National Park Service rangers, and dozens of community volunteers. Boats swept the water around the island. Helicopters flew grid patterns overhead. Drones covered the shoreline. And they also, of course, had people and volunteers on foot. But Horn Island's terrain complicated everything because the island has parts of it that are just straight, dense brush. There's an uneven shoreline. There are shallow areas, there are deep areas. And they had a lot of not only ground, but also water to cover. And every hour without news drew more people to their phones, hoping for updates, looking for updates. And more volunteers to the shore to help in the search. Taking a very quick break to thank today's sponsors. I want to talk about Zenni again, you guys. I don't know if I said this last time, but something about me that's new this year, I guess I keep losing my sunglasses. I literally have ordered so many, I think from the month of June to July, so not that long. I have lost three pairs, and it's obviously not on purpose. One I forgot in my friend's car. The other one I forgot at the pool the 4th of July, and the other ones I think it's like in probably in my mom's suitcase. I don't know. That being said, I'm a sunglass girl. I have colored eyes. I physically cannot be out in the sun or my eyes will start crying immediately, no matter if it's cloudy outside. To be honest with you, my eyes are so sensitive, and I do not like spending a million dollars on sunglasses. Yet still, I want to feel a little bit stylish. I want my sunglasses to go with my outfits. I also have really been into blue light glasses because, as you guys know, or as you can imagine, I spend most of my day staring at a screen, whether it's my iPad, laptop, camera, phone, whatever it is. So I was on the search to finding a website where I could get nice glasses that I love, that are good quality, that I will hopefully ideally keep for a long time without breaking my wallet. I just paid for a wedding. I'm saving my money from now on. Okay? And that's where Zenny comes in. Zenni is an online eyewear shop. Prescription glasses, sunglasses, blue light lenses starting at under $30. Can you believe that? You go to zenni.com, you pick a frame, you can even upload your prescription. I don't have a prescription, but I do have a lot of family members that do. And it's so easy. And then they just ship it straight to your door. You don't have to schedule an appointment, you don't have to walk into any store, and you especially do not have to pay for an upsell at the counter. There are over 150,000 5 star reviews on Zenni and it's for a good reason. And if you've never bought glasses online before, they have this little virtual try on thing that you could virtually try on the glasses and see how they fit on your face shape. And it's honestly so helpful. It also makes you feel so much better about purchasing something once you actually see it on your face. You know what I mean? It's the summertime. It's the perfect time to buy the new glasses that you've been thinking about buying without breaking your bank account. So if you haven't tried out Zenni, I really, really recommend it to you guys. Totally do it. And then let me know what glasses you pick in the comment section. I love catching up with you guys and I love hearing about when you actually try things out that I recommend to you guys because I mean it. If your glasses are overdue for a refresh, now is the time. Go to zenni.com podcast and use podcast 15 for 15% off your first order. The style sell out, so don't sit on it. That's z e n n I.com podcast promo code podcast15. Let's talk about what not what not. You guys know what? I've been into this summer a lot and I've actually been seeing a lot of them, like more than I usually do. Garage sales. I love a good thrift store. I love a good bargain find. I just love, I love buying unique things that not a lot of people have, which is why I always try to find unique items. For example, I also love when I get something that used to be my grandma's or used to be my mom's and there's nothing more than I love more than a good deal. Whatnot is the number one life shopping app in the US and it's essentially, I mean, shopping happens real time. To be honest with you, if you go on there, not only is it fun and a little bit addicting, but it's also like you get this little adrenaline rush because it is like you're shopping in person, but you're not. You can do. You could shop in person from the comfort of your own home. That's how it feels on Whatnot. You're connecting with different sellers and different shoppers. You're shopping in real time and you can shop for whatever it is that you're specifically looking for. And you almost never pay full price, which is honestly my favorite thing about it. You can also become a seller, which is another amazing part of it, because if you have any clothing items or bags or shoes or skin care or makeup, whatever it is, what not makes it easy to turn them into cash. Connect with shoppers who share your style and have fun while doing so. If you guys haven't checked out whatnot, you totally should. And if you do, let me know how it goes because I know that you guys would love it. Download Whatnot today and get $20 off in free shipping on your first purchase. Search whatnot WH in the App Store. Sign up and start finding the best deals on the products that you love with 20 off and free shipping on your first purchase. Thank you so much Whatnot, for sponsoring today's episode. Just before 8:45am On Monday, July 6, a national park Service ranger found a body in the water just off of that northwestern tip of Horn island, in the same area where Nolan had last been seen. The body was face down in the water, and though they could not confirm that it was 100 Nolan Wells right then and there, it did look a lot like him. And eventually, the following afternoon, dental records confirmed that that was in fact the body of Nolan Wells, who would forever remain only 18 years old. I also saw people talking on social media about why there was a time gap in between when they found the body to when they confirmed that it was Nolan. Because they found it on the 6th, they did not confirm until the 7th. I think that everyone sadly knew that it was Nolan, but I don't think that legally they could officially say that it was his body and sign a death certificate without having DNA test results come back and 100 say that it was his body. Does that make sense? So I feel like the time gap isn't a concern and it might be normal just to get DNA test results back within that time period, but let me know if you think otherwise. His mom posted on social media quote I want to thank our family, friends and community, United Cajun, Navy, local law enforcement and everyone involved for all of the love, support and resources over the last few days. His father, our family, friends and I are absolutely devastated. My heart is broken for our sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others. Nolan was a special soul. An autopsy was performed on July 7th at the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office Coast Lab and it was reported that there were not any immediate obvious signs of physical injury or trauma on Nolan's body. But given the very much uncertain, uneasy circumstances, investigators asked for, quote, an autopsy at the state medical examiner's office so that they could do the full autopsy and be able to tell if there was any foul play or trauma. Ben crump, who is the attorney. Attorney representing the walls family, Also pointed out that investigators directly told the family that they did not see any evidence of foul play. The sheriff's office also did come out to say that it did not currently suspect foul play, but that investigators are, quote, working diligently to determine exactly what occurred. And they've asked anyone with photos, videos, or eyewitness accounts from the northwest part of horn island on July 4th to come forward with any information. A lot of people have a problem with what I just told you. Okay. Me included. Because I just think it is a bit bizarre to announce that quickly, not only to the family, but also to the public, that there was not any foul play involved. That, to me, this early in the case, is kind of actual insanity, because you don't even have the autopsy results back. So why are you confident in reporting that it feels uneasy? Because even if you just by looking at his body, even if you thought that there wasn't any foul play involved, like, say, that his cause of death was drowning, there. There can be different kinds of drowning. There could be drowning accidentally, but there could also be drowning as a homicide. Not saying that that was the case, however. I don't know. It just. It feels a bit bold to just announce that quickly, Especially in this day and age where we have so many different resources and so many ways to look deeper into things. So why not do that and wait for those results first before announcing to the media that you don't suspect that there was foul play involved? Because authorities have to know how the media works. They know that they can say one thing, and people are gonna run with it. I don't know. Yeah, I just find. I find it a little bit weird to say that, yeah, there was no foul play at this time. Anyway, moving forward. In the days after Nolan's body was found, A video began circulating on social media. It was a video that looked to have been taken from another boat on the water, and it contained audio of someone yelling. It was kind of hard to understand what was being said, but it was maybe even harder to try and figure out who was saying it. But as you can imagine, the video spread rapidly, and social media interpreted it as Nolan was being involved in some sort of Confrontation, and theories immediately began forming, and accusations only followed. Ben Crump, the attorney representing the Wells family, brought up the possibility of that voice fighting with whoever else being Nolan's voice. But then recently, Trayston shepherd spoke up on Good Morning America on July 13th. He addressed the video directly, and he said out loud what actually happened. Quote, that's me yelling. There was no talk about a phone in that video. I was telling others who were restraining me to let me off of the boat so that I could continue this fight. Trace and shepherd explained that the altercation that was caught in that video was between him and a stranger, another man on the island who had allegedly started a fight with him. Nolan was not in the video. Nolan was not involved in that altercation. The voice that everyone had been analyzing and considering whether or not it was Nolan's voice was actually traced in his voice, according to him. And according to him, it was also an argument caught on camera that had absolutely nothing to do with Nolan's disappearance. So him stating that clarified that a little bit, but it did not lock back the family's serious concerns because that video was not the only thing that wasn't quite adding up. It was Tuesday, July 7, just before 2pm that news confirmed that the Wells family had retained attorney Benjamin Crumb, who I we've been talking about. Ben Crump is a big name. He's a civil rights attorney who has represented the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Travion Martin. And I am very glad that Nolan's family did decide to get outside help instead of just fully trusting the police, because unfortunately, I just have a gut feeling that if they would have just gone with what authorities were saying, they might have reached a different conclusion than what they hopefully will working with Ben Crump on their side. I don't know. I'm not trying to say anything. I obviously don't know what happened. I don't know anything. But all I'm saying is that Ben Crump is known for pushing for answers, and he's known for fighting hard. And I'm glad that the Wells family has someone like him on their side. But Ben Crump's involvement immediately signaled that the family believe that the official count of what happened to their son was. Was incomplete at best. In interviews over the following days, Ben Crump laid out the family's position and made it clear that this investigation was only just beginning. He said that Nolan was a good swimmer. He said that the family does not believe that their son chose to stay on that island. He mentioned the video and the altercation on the island. He revealed the deleted messages, and he announced that Nolan's body would be flown to Washington, D.C. for an independent autopsy. Ben Crump also addressed what he described to be the family's deeper concern, not just about what happened to Nolan, but about who exactly is investigating it. He was referring to the fact that Nolan was the only black man in a group of white men on the boat that day. And he stated, quote, the family is worried about Mississippi investigating the death of a young black man where young people may be involved, end quote. On July 10, Nolan's parents, Christine and Elmore, traveled to New York City for a press conference alongside Ben Crump. They'd also previously appeared on Good Morning America and CBS Mornings, but now they stood together before cameras and microphones and said publicly what they had been saying privately since that night. On July 4th, Christine, Nolan's mother, addressed the sheriff's early claims, specifically their statements that Nolan had appeared to choose to stay on that island all on his own, saying, quote, I do absolutely respect law enforcement, but the accidental drowning thing, it made both me and his father uncomfortable. Why are we so quick to rush this? What we're wanting is transparency. At the end of the day, we want answers, end quote. Nolan's father again also spoke out about the code that his family lived by, the understanding that when you go somewhere with a group, you come back with that group. His answer, when he was asked whether he believed that Nolan chose to stay back on that island on his own, was plain and certain, no, he wouldn't. Nolan always stays with the group. If you be with me, you come back with me so that I don't understand. And with me being a parent, if I was in that situation, I would have told them, you're going to get back on this boat with me, because I don't want to answer questions to your parents if something happens to you. Al Sharpton is an American civil rights activist who is standing beside the family as well. And he made a statement at the press conference, quote, he was not on that island by himself. Somebody saw something or know something. Sharpton announced a $50,000 reward for any information leading to figuring out what happened to Nolan Wells. And later that same day, filmmaker and actor Tyler Perry watched the press conference online, and he matched the reward, making the total reward for information in the Nolan Wells case $100,000. Tyler Perry, along with other celebrities, by the way, also helped pay for Nolan's funeral, which is very generous, very nice, and I bet it was very helpful for the family because Funerals are not only extremely sad to plan, but they are also very expensive. By July 15, authorities confirmed that over 60 witnesses had been interviewed, and including three friends that Nolan traveled to the island with. He confirmed that the FBI had joined the investigation specifically to assist with the examination of digital evidence, including the phone. The sheriff's office also issued another public request asking anyone with original unedited photos or videos from the northwest tip of horn island on July 4th to come forward, specifically asking again for any footage that might include Nolan Wells. And speaking of photos, this is another reason why you just can't trust everything that you see on the Internet. I saw a photo on social media. If you guys are keeping up with this case at all, you probably know the. The photo that I'm referring to, the pool party photo that resurfaced. It was a photo showing Nolan and a group of friends of what appeared to be at a pool party together, which some online commentators cited as evidence, saying that this picture was taken on the night of July 4th, which would mean that Nolan did make it back from the island. But now, according to Trayston, he's confirmed that that party had actually taken place on Saturday, June 27, a week before the trip to Horn Island. The sheriff's office did not comment on the photo, but if we are believing Trayston, then that picture has little to nothing to do with Nolan's disappearance and death, really. On Monday, July 20, his family laid him to rest at Center Point Church in Ocean Springs. Coaches, teammates, teachers, family and friends, and community members who had known Nolan his entire life filled the church. His parents sat in the front row. And I'll read you this quote from his mom that just broke my heart. Quote, I want to give you all thanks and honor and glory to God for choosing Elmore and me to be Nolan's parents. We thank you, Lord, for the beautiful 18 years that you blessed us with him. Yeah, it is losing a child without any answers and without any closure, that kind of grief. We should feel blessed if we don't understand because it's. It's so heavy and it's so unimaginable. And if you do understand or if you have felt any sort of grief as heavy as this, my heart is with you because. Yeah, it is. It is an unimaginable amount of pain. So, as of now, those are the updates that have been confirmed. The biggest thing now that I think will answer most of the unanswered. Not most, but will hopefully answer a lot of unanswered questions, will be the autopsy results. And I'm glad that his family decided to do an independent autopsy because if a drowning is being alleged, again, like I mentioned earlier in this episode, there are different kind of drownings. But if they are alleging an accidental drowning and the autopsy results show anything at all that is inconsistent with an accidental drowning, then this case will be far from over. I also think that the phone and the results from hopefully a search warrant done on the phone or whatever information comes from that will tell us a lot, I hope. Yeah, I just. At the end of all of this, what we should all be hoping for is for his family to receive justice. And I think it's easy. As much as I hate to say it, I think it's easy to listen to a true crime story and then, whatever, close your laptop and go on about your day, not think about it again. But please try to remember, and you guys are very, very good at this, that these are real people and not only are they grieving and going through child loss or not. Not even only his parents, but any of his loved ones. They are not only going through a loss, they are also fighting. They have to be the strongest that they probably have ever had to be while they're at their lowest. And that we should all be there for his family, backing them up and doing what we can to fight for that justice with them. Because, yeah, like I said, this, it's. It's. No one should have to go through with this. That is all I have for today. Thank you guys for spending time with me today and for listening to this episode. I'll keep you guys posted on this. We will see what happens. But yeah, thank you so much for tuning into this episode and for listening to Nolan's story. I hope you guys are having the best day. If not, go do something to make it the best day. Make somebody happy. And I will see you in my next video. Massive kiss on the forehead to every single one of you. Thank you so much for tuning into this episode of I wish you were here. As a reminder, you can listen to this podcast anywhere. You get your podcast video version also available on YouTube. Love you.
Podcast: I Wish You Were Here
Host: Michelle Cuervo
Date: July 22, 2026
This episode explores the mysterious disappearance and tragic death of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, a college athlete who went missing during a July 4th boating trip to Horn Island. Host Michelle Cuervo provides a detailed timeline, discusses new evidence—particularly GPS data and digital forensics—and unpacks lingering questions and community reactions. The episode also features responses from investigators, the Wells family, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, and notable public figures offering support.
Notable Quote:
"His character spoke louder than his accomplishments." —Coach Jake Bramlett
Reference:
[07:00] “His principal calls him 'a remarkable student, teammate and a brother, and his friends call him one of their best.'”
Notable Quote:
"A nineteen-year-old boy would not just voluntarily give up his phone and his keys and say, 'Yeah, that's good, take my stuff and I'll just stay on this island by myself and figure out a way to get back.'"
—Michelle Cuervo ([26:20])
Notable Quote:
"Nolan was a special soul… our family, friends and I are absolutely devastated. My heart is broken for our sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others.”
—Christine Wells, Nolan’s mother
Notable Quote:
"That, to me, this early in the case, is kind of actual insanity, because you don’t even have the autopsy results back, so why are you confident in reporting that?"
—Michelle Cuervo ([44:31])
Notable Quote:
"I feel like a lot of answers are going to come when authorities hopefully do search his phone… [they] have access to be able to get the videos or the pictures or the messages, whatever, even if they have been deleted."
—Michelle Cuervo ([28:10])
Notable Quotes:
"Why are we so quick to rush this? What we're wanting is transparency. At the end of the day, we want answers."
—Christine Wells ([1:01:52])
"He was not on that island by himself. Somebody saw something or know something."
—Al Sharpton ([1:02:34])
Memorable Closing Quote:
"These are real people. They are also fighting. They have to be the strongest that they probably have ever had to be while they're at their lowest."
Michelle’s tone throughout is empathetic, meticulous, and forthright—calling out inconsistencies and the need for transparency, while centering Nolan’s humanity and his family’s grief. She invites respectful discussion and calls her listeners to keep prioritizing justice and critical inquiry.
To stay updated, Michelle encourages listeners to continue sharing information, supporting the Wells family, and engaging with the search for truth and justice.