As investigators continue searching for answers in the death of Nolan Wells, the Mississippi teenager’s mom is sharing the heartbreaking reality of preparing to bury her son.

“Planning the funeral of our 18 year old does not feel real,” Christine Wonsley wrote in a social media post shared late on Monday, July 13. “All the emotions are running together. I thank God for the moments of being able to watch videos and hear his laugh again. We miss you so much Nolan.”

Her message came as Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter told ABC News that investigators are continuing to carefully piece together what happened to her 18-year-old son after he disappeared during a Fourth of July trip to Mississippi’s Horn Island.

“I think it’s important we don’t put ourselves on a timetable, that we don’t rush ourselves,” Ledbetter told ABC News’ Aaron Katersky in an interview that aired on Tuesday, July 14, on Good Morning America. “But I do think it’s important to be diligent in gathering all the facts. That’s what the family deserves.”

Authorities have previously said they believe Wells may have drowned after disappearing during a July 4 boat trip with friends to the barrier island off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast.

His body was found in the water near the island’s northwest end two days later, though investigators have stressed an official cause of death has not yet been determined.

Ledbetter said officials are continuing to seek photos, videos and firsthand accounts from anyone who was on Horn Island that day. “Even if you may think it might be insignificant, every little bit helps,” he said. “That may be a bigger contribution than you think to this case.”

The sheriff also said investigators are awaiting the state medical examiner’s findings, including toxicology results, while Wells’ family is pursuing their own independent autopsy.

Last week, Christine and Nolan’s father, Elmore Wonsley, broke their silence in an emotional interview with Good Morning America, where they questioned why their son would have voluntarily separated from the group of friends he traveled to Horn Island with.

“That we cannot answer,” Christine said. “I just, I can’t fathom why he would.”

Elmore said the family had long taught Nolan to never leave the people he was with.

“We always taught him that if you go with a group, you stay with a group,” he said. “If you go with five, you come back with five. Do not separate from the group. Because I always said, ‘Safety is in numbers.’ So he knew to stay with this group, so why would he split from the group? I don’t know.”

The family has since launched their own independent investigation into Nolan’s death and commissioned a separate autopsy, arguing that the information presented to them — including why their son would have remained on the island after his friends left — doesn’t add up.

Among the questions they’ve raised is what happened to Nolan’s cellphone after his disappearance. Christine previously told Good Morning America that the phone’s location history appeared inconsistent with what friends had reported and said investigators have requested the device as part of the ongoing investigation.

The sheriff has said his office welcomes the family’s independent efforts, emphasizing that both sides want the same outcome.

“We’re working toward the same goal as the family,” Ledbetter previously told ABC News. “We want a thorough investigation. That’s what we’re going to continue to do until we arrive at the answers that the family deserves.”