Malcolm-Jamal Warner‘s mother, Pamela, is opening up about how loved ones are coping in the wake of the actor’s death.
In a sit-down with Good Morning America, Pamela told Robin Roberts she’s “at peace with everything that happened,” saying she believes this was her son’s “time” to “transition” from earth.
“I’m very grateful that I was chosen to be his mother. … There was nothing left on the table,” she said in the interview, which aired Tuesday, September 16. “There was no shoulda, coulda woulda. … I feel that our journey together as mother and son was complete.”
As for Warner’s wife, Tenisha, and their daughter, Pamela, said the pain is still fresh.
“Children process differently,” she explained. “She watched them resuscitate him, try to resuscitate him. She saw that, and I know that’s awfully, awfully traumatic.”
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Pamela added, “She loved her father dearly. She adored papa. He was papa. And so they’re both in deep grief.”
News broke in July that Warner, known for his role as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, died after an accidental drowning on a beach in Costa Rica. He was 54 years old. Officials later confirmed that Warner’s death was caused by asphyxia due to submersion.
While speaking to Roberts, Pamela revealed that her granddaughter and Tenisha had been in Costa Rica for three weeks before Warner joined them. “She’s homeschooled and this was part of an immersion program,” Pamela said of her granddaughter, noting that “the husbands” came during the final week of the program for “the fun part.”
Pamela previously broke her silence on her son’s death in an emotional Instagram tribute in August. “Needless to say our hearts are heavy with the loss of Malcolm. He was a kind, loving man with a huge heart for humanity,” she wrote at the time. “He wanted all to be aware of their inner strength and that they could succeed and transform. This was his latest mission and work, transformation in order for you to be fully present in your life.”
Her message continued: “Malcolm was an exceptional husband, father, and son — a man deeply in love with life, his wife, and his daughter. He was not only my son but also my teacher, coach, confidant, business partner, and best friend. He was the son that his father was immensely proud of and loved fiercely and unconditionally.”
Pamela added that her son “left an indelible mark on the world” through both his talent and his compassion for others. “As his mother, there is so much that I can say. It would fill volumes. But what I will say is that I am so very blessed that he chose me to be his mother, to come into the waters of my womb,” she wrote. “It is an honor and blessing that will be with me all the days of my life.”
She assured fans that Warner was “at peace” when he died and “did not suffer,” writing, “This was his time. His mission on earth had been completed.”
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Tenisha, for her part, had previously chosen to stay out of the spotlight after marrying the actor in 2017. She shared her first statement and photos from their wedding day via Instagram on Friday, September 12.
“Thank you for holding us in so much love during this tender time,” Tenisha wrote. “Tomorrow marks our anniversary — and my heart is wide open. For the first time, I’m sharing a glimpse of the love that began it all.”
Tenisha revealed that she and her daughter were “officially opening The Warner Family Foundation” in order to “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. This is love, Still moving. Still making. Still carrying us forward.”
Along with Tenisha, Pamela is working hard to keep Warner’s memory alive. “Love where you can, give when you can. Just be better. Just be better,” she said while holding back tears. “Because that’s what he wanted, and that’s what he was working toward. We can all be better selves.”
