Whispers in the Wind

Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States

Thank you to Brandon Gregory, a friend of Allison’s, for obtaining photographs for this page.

Whispers in the Wind is located on a walking path outside of the Lake Terrace Convention Center at 1 Convention Center Plaza, Hattiesburg, MS 39401, USA. It overlooks a beautiful pond and is a very peaceful location. It was installed by Hiram and Melissa Kelly-Hill in memory of their only child, Nikolai, who died of a pulmonary embolism in January 2021. This phone was installed in late 2022, and the cabinet was built by Pine Belt Impressions in Petal, Mississippi.

Pine Belt provided the inscription on the inside of the cabinet as well in addition to a thank you to Sasaki Itaru, the creator of the first wind phone:

This phone is unlike any other… it has no service and is not connected to Wi-Fi or wires…

Take a pause from the everyday world, take time to connect by calling those that have passed. Talk to your loved one again — reminisce and share your feelings and memories.

Let the wind carry the goodbyes you never got to say…

May this phone help you move forward knowing that the wind is always here to help you connect.

Dedicated to the very awesome Nikolai Hill

04/03/2002 - 01/07/2021

While this was made by a local company, the cabinet can also be build very easily with some woodworking abilities. It is a straightforward design — sides, top, and gable roof. Attach the phone to the cabinet then the cabinet to a tree or post. If you would like engraving, seek out a local company first to help your neighbors, but if you cannot find one, Etsy has many choices of woodworkers.

Of note, as of 24 June 2023, the bench that was in front of the phone was crushed by a tree that fell. If there are any updates, they will be provided.