‘He is our child’: Tabitha Brown opens up on the shared grief of Black parents over Nolan Wells and how it can establish trauma

One month after the teen’s body was discovered near Horn Island, the social media influencer and actress is echoing a sentiment shared by many regarding his case and how parents of young Black men continue to navigate the world despite the pain of loss.

The disappearance of Nolan Wells has struck a chord with numerous people. Whether it be questions regarding interracial friendships and a mother trying to find out what happened to her son, or individuals connected with the teens who were with the 18-year-old defending themselves due to death, feelings regarding his disappearance remain fraught.

Tabitha Brown understands all of those emotions.

In a clip shared from her “Fridays with Tabi and Chance” podcast, the social media influencer and actress opened up on how Black America must monitor not only their grief, but their rage in situations similar to the Wells case and how they internalize fear, anxiety and more.

“Nolan is one of many,” she began. “He’s not our child, but he is our child. When we see these things happening constantly, it creates rage inside us that we have to … monitor. How high and low it will allow us to get. Because it can cause us anxiety, depression, anger, fear, things that we’re already living with.”

She added, “Every time something like this happens, it’s another level. It’s another layer added. I don’t think we talk about it enough how this affects us mentally and emotionally. Because we still have to work. We still have to go to school. We still have to show up in the world. We still have to show up at grocery stores, common areas with people who don’t always see us as human, who don’t value our life … who don’t love us. We still have to show up and act like we’re not bothered … just to get through our day.”

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“When I think about how God created us and created us to be here now … I know that means He knew we were strong enough to carry the weight, but it doesn’t mean that it’s not heavy.”

In a previous clip from the show, Brown’s husband, Chance, spoke about how losing a child can be considered a “threat to a man’s future.”

“When you take a man’s son away, now you’re taking my future,” he said.

The ongoing case regarding Wells’ disappearance has undergone several twists and turns since his body was discovered off Horn Island in Mississippi on July 6. Three individuals who have reportedly threatened witnesses who were with Wells the day he disappeared have been arrested in states such as California, Ohio and Illinois. All three were charged with transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce.

One of those charged threatened the stepmother of Warren Hudson, the teen whose father, Dr. Benjamin Hudson, raised more than $100K via a GiveSendGo fundraiser in preparation for any potential legal action.

Wells’ official autopsy has been completed, but has not been publicly released as a grand jury decides on whether charges should be filed in the case.