Nolan Wells’ self-described best friend blamed death threats for why he was absent from the 18-year-old college football star’s funeral on Monday, according to a new interview.
Warren Hudson revealed on The Officer Tatum podcast released Saturday that he did not attend Wells’ funeral for a number of reasons — including his own safety concerns.
When asked why he was noticeably absent from Monday’s service, Hudson told host Brandon Tatum he didn’t want to take away from the true purpose of the funeral given the intense social media attention on the Mississippi teen’s death.
“With everything going on on social media right now with people saying the crazy things that they’re saying, I would never want to take the attention off of Nolan and his family,” Hudson said.
“They don’t deserve that.”
Hudson, who was celebrating the Fourth of July at Horn Island with Wells when he mysteriously disappeared, added that his own personal safety was a key factor in his decision not to attend the funeral.
“And you know, for my own personal reasons, I mean, I’ve gotten thousands of death threats,” Hudson said.
“My family’s got thousands of death threats,” he said. “And, you know, for my own safety, I’m not going to put my own health and safety at risk.”
“You know, it breaks my heart that I can’t go. And it hurt me more than anything because, you know, obviously I want to say my last goodbyes to one of my best friends,” the grieving pal said.
“But I mean, if I’m getting thousands of death threats of people saying they’re going to kill me and do crazy things to my family…I couldn’t bring myself to go because, you know, I got to put my own safety first.’
“And even if that means, you know, missing my friend’s funeral. I mean, it’s horrible and I wish I could have been there.”
Wells’ body was found on July 6 near where he vanished without a trace from two days earlier.
While the college football star’s death remains under investigation, preliminary findings from an independent autopsy were released Wednesday, with the teen’s cause and manner of death listed as undetermined pending investigation. His date of death also listed as unknown.
The 18-year-old was laid to rest in a closed casket Monday at a packed hometown funeral that included famed director Spike Lee and former NFL star Terrell Owens.
Wells’ mother openly wept as she made her way into Center Pointe Church in Ocean Springs, Miss. — less than two weeks after her son mysteriously died after going missing during a July 4 boating trip with pals.
“As long as we continue to remember him, his light will continue to shine through us all,” Wells’ grieving mom Christine Wonsley said through tears.
“Nolan we love you, we’ll continue to fight for you, and until we meet again,” she said.
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