X Factor Alum Thomas Wells Is Dead At 46 Following Conveyor Belt Accident
The X Factor contestant was known for his strong voice.
Thomas Wells, the singer best known for his singing performances on reality competition series like Fox's The X-Factor has sadly passed away. Wells’ death was the result of a tragic accident involving a conveyor belt at the tire factory he worked at in Oklahoma. The performer was 46 at the time of his death.
News of his death was announced by his wife, Jessica Wells, who confirmed to TMZ that her husband passed away on November 13. Wells revealed that Thomas was working at the plant when part of his body was caught in an automatic conveyor belt. He was then rushed to a nearby Oklahoma hospital before being airlifted to a bigger one in Texas. Though it was reportedly believed that the specials in Tyler, TX could help him, Wells was eventually declared dead at that second hospital.
Thomas Wells first rose to prominence when he competed on The X-Factor back in 2011, during which many lauded him for his strong singing voice. A few years later, he returned to television as a contestant on NBC’s short-lived vocal game show The Winner Is. He would later go on to appear on both America’s Got Talent and The Voice, where he received similar praises. In the years since his on-air performances, Wells continued to post videos of his song covers on social media. For instance in one of his videos, he performed a rendition of Rascal Flatts' “Changed." You can see it for yourself down below:
Jessica and Thomas Wells had been married since 2003, according to his obituary. It also notes that Wells loved “to joke” and “make people laugh” and also made note of his passion for singing hymns and contemporary music. In a Facebook video, Jessica chronicled her first time visiting her husband’s grave since his passing. It was during this time that she recalled how she and her family sat with him at his bedside and played his favorite song, “I Can Only Imagine.” Although she expressed sadness over her husband’s death, she remains optimistic in one regard:
Thomas Wells definitely solidified himself as one of the most unique talents to ever grace the stage of a reality competition series. While he certainly had powerful vocals, what was even more impressive about the performer is that he was self-taught. Though he’ll certainly be missed by his loved ones, it’s sweet to see that his wife is choosing to remain positive and honor her husband’s memory.
We here at CinemaBlend extend our thoughts and condolences to the family and loved ones of Thomas Wells at this time.
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Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.