Byron Allen, the host of “Comics Unleashed” — which recently took over the time slot for “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” — donated $100,000 to a GoFundMe campaign for Nolan Wells, the 18-year-old who was found dead after a Fourth of July trip to Mississippi’s Horn Island.
On Saturday, Allen’s website, TheGrio, announced the generous donation.
Wells’ body was found near the coast of the island on Monday, CBS News reported; he had last been seen at 3 p.m. on July 4, during a boat trip with friends. When he didn’t return that night, Wells’ mother reported him missing. The U.S. Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the National Park Service aided in the search.
“Our hearts are broken beyond words,” the GoFundMe description reads. “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.”
The message continued, “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.”
Almost $600,000 of the $750,000 goal had been reached, as of writing, to help Wells’ family, including his mother, Christine Wonsley.
Following an autopsy in Jackson County, Wells’ body was flown to Washington, D.C., for an independent autopsy paid for by former NFL star Colin Kaepernick, the family’s attorney, Ben Crump, said during a press conference, per People.
Additionally, Tyler Perry has agreed to pay for the funeral costs.
“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,” Perry wrote on Instagram. “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.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton will officiate Wells’ funeral service; a date has not yet been announced.
