Mother reveals new details about Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s death

Pamela Warner, mother of late actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, has shared new details about her son’s tragic passing in July 205, breaking her silence for the first time since his death.

Warner, best known for his role as Theodore Huxtable on The Cosby Show, drowned off the coast of Costa Rica in July. 

According to police, Warner, who was 54 at the time, was brought to shore by a volunteer lifeguard and another surfer, and the Forensic Pathology Department later ruled his death accidental.

In an exclusive interview with Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts, Pamela Warner revealed that her son was caught in an undertow while swimming with a friend. She stressed that Warner was not an experienced swimmer.

“They were in the water, maybe chest-deep,” she explained. “There was an undertow and my son did not know how to deal with it.”

She also clarified reports that her son drowned while trying to save his daughter. “She was on shore. She was not in the water,” she said, adding that Warner’s friend, a stronger swimmer, was also caught in the undertow but managed to rescue himself.

Recalling the moment she learned of her son’s death, Pamela said she let out a scream “from the bottom of my soul,” describing the grief as “indescribable pain.”

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Despite the loss, she said she has found peace: “That was his time. That was the manner in which he was to transition, and this is what I believe and feel.”

Pamela added that her son wanted to be remembered for his work beyond The Cosby Show, noting the deep conversations they shared throughout his life. “I’m very grateful that I was chosen to be his mother. Our journey together as mother and son was complete.”

Warner is survived by his wife, Tenisha, and their daughter. Pamela said they are still grieving deeply, with his daughter especially traumatized after witnessing resuscitation efforts on the beach.

On September 12, Tenisha posted on Instagram for the first time since Warner’s passing, sharing a wedding photo while thanking friends and fans for their support as she marked their wedding anniversary.  

Pamela has since created the “MJW Living Legacy” page to honor her son’s memory and urged the public to “love where you can, give when you can, and just be better,” a message she said reflects what Warner stood for.

(ABC)

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