Malcolm-Jamal Warner was 'rescued by bystanders' but 'declared lifeless' during Costa Rica trip
The Cosby Show star Malcolm-Jamal Warner recently lost his life during a family trip in Costa Rica - Costa Rica officials have revealed the details of the tragic incident
Actir Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s untimely death has shaken the world, especially Cosby Show fans.
Bystanders pulled the TV star from the ocean, according to authorities in Costa Rica. “The victim appears to have entered the sea and was apparently swept away by a current. The man was rescued by bystanders and taken to shore, where he received treatment from the Costa Rican Red Cross. However, he was declared lifeless at the scene,” a statement from the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) obtained by People read. A source revealed to the news outlet that Malcolm had died during a family trip in Costa Rica. At the time of his death, he was 54.
Additionally, the insider initially divulged that he had drowned while he was swimming. However, authorities later confirmed that Malcolm had "apparently died as a result of asphyxiation by submersion."
Malcolm rose to fame from portraying the character Theo Huxtable, who was the only son of Bill Cosby’s character, Heathcliff Huxtable, in the groundbreaking series The Cosby Show.
The Cosby Show ran from 1984 to 1992. After that, Malcolm continued his career, starring alongside Eddie Griffin in the sitcom Malcolm & Eddie from 1996 until 2000.
Other roles Malcolm has gained notoriety for include his character Alex Reed in the series Reed Between the Lines, in which Tracee Ellis Ross starred opposite him as his wife, from 2011 to 2015.
Some of Malcolm’s costars have honored him in tributes on social media in the wake of his death.
Trace Ellis Ross captioned a carousel post filled with photos of her and Malcolm on Instagram: “I love you, Malcolm. First, I met you as Theo with the rest of the world, then you were my first TV husband.
My heart is so sad. What an actor and friend you were: warm, gentle, present, kind, thoughtful, deep, funny, elegant. You made the world a brighter place. Sending so much love to your family. I’m so sorry for this unimaginable loss.”
Meanwhile, Eddie Griffin captioned a photo of Malcolm he shared on Instagram, “My Heart is heavy today… For what the world lost was a Father a Son a Poet a Musician an Actor a Teacher a Writer a Director a Friend a Warrior that I had the pleasure of going to war with against the Hollywood machine and sometimes with each other because that’s what Brothers do but the Love was and is always there. You’ve taught me so much and I thank you. Rest Well My Big little Brother.”
Niecy Nash also honored Malcolm on Instagram, captioning a photo of her and the late entertainer, “My God, we just spoke. You were giving my my flowers for my work in [FX’s ‘Grotesquerie’] and we talked about how happy we both were in our marriages. D--- friend. You were cornerstone of The Cosby Show. We all loved Theo! Never to be forgotten. You will be missed. Rest Easy.”
Malcolm is survived by his wife and daughter.