MalcolmJamal Warner’s widow ‘can’t remember the details’ of the day the actor died: ‘My body went through shock’ Marina WattsThu, July 23, 2026 at 6:07 PM UTC 0 MalcolmJamal Warner; Tenisha Warner on 'CBS Mornings'Credit: Santiago Felipe/Getty; CBSKey Points MalcolmJamal Warner’s widow, Tenisha Warner, said that she “can’t remember the details” the day the Cosby Show alum died. “It’s really hard for me to sort of relive what all of that was and to think about it because it just breaks me in a way,” she said.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s widow ‘can’t remember the details’ of the day the actor died: ‘My body went through shock’
Marina WattsThu, July 23, 2026 at 6:07 PM UTC
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Malcolm-Jamal Warner; Tenisha Warner on 'CBS Mornings'Credit: Santiago Felipe/Getty; CBSKey Points -
Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s widow, Tenisha Warner, said that she “can’t remember the details” the day the Cosby Show alum died.
“It’s really hard for me to sort of relive what all of that was and to think about it because it just breaks me in a way,” she said.
Malcolm-Jamal died after being swept away by a current in July 2025 during a family vacation in Costa Rica.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s widow is reflecting on the actor’s death a year later.
Tenisha Warner, who married Malcolm-Jamal in 2022 and shares daughter Ember with him, opened up about the grief she’s experienced in the year since his death. Malcolm-Jamal died of asphyxia after being swept away by a current on July 20, 2025 during a family vacation in Costa Rica. He was 54.
“The moments of that day, they occupy my body so deeply. So it’s really hard for me to sort of relive what all of that was and to think about it because it just breaks me in a way,” she began in an interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner at the 2nd Annual Living Legends Gala in Atlanta in September 2023Credit: Derek White/Getty
She called the day Malcolm-Jamal died the “worst day of my life," adding, “And all I could think about was my daughter. And what I needed to do to continue to be her mother. And be her only parent.”
When asked about the events of that day, Tenisha admitted that she “can’t remember the details," saying, “I think my body went through shock.”
Tenisha also addressed what she finds to be the “hardest part of” the grieving process. “I often tell my friends who reach out all the time and may not necessarily get a response from me all the time, just don’t forget us," she said. "And I think that that’s what I’m looking for."
She continued, “I think the hardest thing about grief is that people, they move on, you know, but for us, because we’re his wife and child, there’s no moving on.”
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Weeks after Malcolm-Jamal died, Tenisha memorialized him with a heartbreaking tribute, thanking fans for their support and announcing the launch of a foundation named after the actor.
“Thank you for holding us in so much love during this tender time,” she began the caption to her Instagram post which featured a photo from their wedding. “Tomorrow marks our anniversary — and my heart is wide open.”
She continued, “For the first time, I’m sharing a glimpse of the love that began it all. I can still hear my husband’s laugh, still feel the way he made room for every part of me — every tear, every dream.”
She added, “Today, in his honor, my daughter and I are launching [storytelling kit for parents and children] River & Ember and officially opening The Warner Family Foundation. Together we carry the legacy my husband and I began — one that nurtures children’s inner light and gives young artists the freedom to create outside the lines.”
Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s widow Tenisha Warner on 'CBS Mornings'Credit: CBS
Tenisha told King that her social media post last September was shared to “let the world know I’m here and I’m experiencing the biggest loss of my life and just because I’m still behind here, with my silence and my grief on my own terms, doesn’t mean I don’t see you.”
Watch Tenisha Warner’s full interview on 'CBS Mornings' below.
on Entertainment Weekly
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Source: Entertainment
Published: July 23, 2026 at 09:37PM on Source: MORNING MAG
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