Pastor, teacher reflect on death of Jackson teen

Described by two people who knew him, 18-year-old Nolan Weber, who died in Saturday in Jackson after a nearly three-year battle with brain cancer, was a young man of amazing faith, humility and maturity.

The Rev. Tommy Weems, who was pastor of First Baptist Church in Jackson and is now pastor of LaRue Baptist Church in LaRue, Texas, will be providing the sermon at Weber's funeral.

Weems said he came to know Weber shortly after his diagnosis. He drove to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis when Weber had brain surgery just before Easter 2011. After the first disappointing news that the therapy for his cancer wasn't working, Weems and Weber met, and when they emerged, Weems said the young man summarized it for his parents: "We believe," and the phrase caught on throughout the area.

Weems said the community and the Weber family were fantastic. Everyone from churches to businesses and students rallied around Weber.

An accomplished soccer and baseball player, Weber would have preferred attention for athletic feats, rather than his illness, but he took it all in stride, Weems said.

"That child is the most fantastic child I've ever pastored," Weems said. "I loved him beyond words. He was like my own."

Bob Clubbs, who teaches public speaking and theater at Jackson High School, said Weber was receiving treatment when he first came to know the teenager. Weber tried hard to stay on top of things, although he was going to treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., two or three times a week.

"When he would come to school, he was always upbeat -- as much like any other child as he could be," Clubbs said, noting he had not seen Weber since May.

Through the nature of Clubbs' public-speaking class, Weber was open about his situation and used his assignments to talk about his experience. Because class was in the morning, Weber often made up class in the afternoon with only Clubbs for an audience.

"Hearing his story from his point of view was so inspiring," Clubbs said. "The amount of maturity he had about dealing with his situation, it was just remarkable. ... He was always so honest and so matter of fact. He never wanted any special treatment. He never wanted any extra attention, but he got that the way the school rallied around him."

Students who knew him and even those who didn't wanted to believe Weber would make it, Clubbs said.

"He was so at peace with the whole thing. He made it easier for people to buy into that concept," he said, adding he thinks that's why people are saying they still believe.

A visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. today and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Jackson. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the church, with the Revs. Tommy Weems and Lucas Clabough officiating. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson. The family will announce a celebration of life at a later date.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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