Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s widow finally confirmed her identity, after years of keeping an exceptionally low profile.
On Friday, the “Cosby Show” actor’s wife, Tenisha Warner, took to Instagram to share a never-before-seen wedding photo and announce the launch of the Warner Family Foundation and River & Ember, alongside their daughter.
The launch comes nearly two months after the beloved actor’s drowning death at age 54.
“Thank you for holding us in so much love during this tender time,” she began the post in part, noting that their wedding anniversary falls on Saturday. The couple married in 2017.
“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 wrote.
“Today, in his honor, my daughter and I are launching 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.”
She concluded the post, “This is love. Still moving. Still making. Still carrying us forward.”
Tenisha added a mission statement for River & Ember — an organization that offers parents strategies and toolkits for helping children through difficult times.
The seasonal toolkits include stories, family rituals, parent reflections and more to help children deal with their emotions, including grief. The Warner Family Foundation has been established to offer college scholarships for students who aspire to an education in the arts.
In the comments thread, Malcolm-Jamal’s “Cosby Show” co-star Keshia Knight Pulliam, 46, gushed that the tribute was, “Simply beautiful ❤️.”
“His legacy lives on.🙏🏾,” wrote another follower, while a third chimed in, “It’s like his laughter is echoing through the photo.”
“A testament that true love creates purpose beyond loss,” remarked a fourth follower. “We love and support you Tenisha!”
Malcolm-Jamal was on vacation in Costa Rica when he was swept into a strong current and lost his life on July 20. He was swimming with his 8-year-old daughter at the time.
Although he was pulled from the water, attempts to revive him failed, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. According to police, his cause of death was listed as asphyxiation by ” submersion.”
In an interview two months prior to his death, the actor revealed how he wanted to be remembered.
“There’s part of me that I will be able to leave this earth knowing — and people knowing — that I was a good person,” he said during the May 21 episode of Melyssa Ford’s “Hot & Bothered” podcast.
“[My dad] said to me often, ‘You know people love you, and people [are] always talking about your career and your success and all of that, but what really makes me the most proud is that you are a good person,’” he added.
