The Chanticleer

Issue date: 4/9/09 Section: News

Donnie Wells Jr. former program director and DJ for Jacksonville State University campus radio station WLJS died Monday.
"I heard the news Monday morning," current Program Director John Nickolson said. "I thought I was some kind of sick joke."
Students gathered outside the station Monday night to remember Wells and share their stories. "Even when I was down, it was Donnie who was usually cheering me up," Nickolson said. "He forced you to have fun."
The students gathered agreed that Wells had affected their lives tremendously. "I'm going to miss his energy," former Chanticleer Sports Editor Patrick Swafford said. "There was something about Donnie's life and personality that almost everyone could enjoy. He was a warm, caring person that could pick you up instantly."
The news spread around campus as students text messaged each other the news. Within a few hours, Wells' Facebook page wall was filled with students offering their condolences and mourning their loss.
Billy S. Ramsey, the upcoming program director for WLJS said he was in class when he heard the news. "It feels like my heart has been ripped out," Ramsey said.
Wells was program director from 2005 til 2006 and helped train both Nickolson and Ramsey.
"Donnie is the reason I became a communication major," Ramsey said. "He told me I had a great voice for radio and that I should consider going in to broadcasting."
Nickolson said Wells was program director when he came to the station in 2006. "He was able to help me a lot," Nickolson said. "He knew so much because he had been there and he offered his help to me as I took over the job."
Nickolson and Ramsey sat in the audio production lab on Tuesday night and remembered how much Wells had made them laugh. "He loved sushi," Ramsey said. "He would offer you the shirt off his back, usually because he had it pulled up showing off his belly."
"He had an infectious laugh," Nickolson said. "He had as much fun on the air as off, though, off the air, he probably had more fun because he didn't have to worry about the FCC regulations."
Ramsey said students who didn't know Wells missed out. "He was one of the finest human beings to walk the face of this planet," Ramsey said.
Swafford said Wells was a friendly person from their first meeting. "It took the guy ten seconds to strike up a conversation with me and he and I hit it off from there," Swafford said. "That was Donnie. I don't think he ever met a stranger."
On Tuesday night, friends of Wells were still leaving memories and goodbyes on his Facebook page even as his last updated status message lingers above them. "Had a pretty awesome Sunday, and now just needs the prayer dial turned up to 11 for this week. He is anticipating a phone call, and will probably explode from joy if he receives it," it reads.

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