Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s mother speaks months after son’s drowning death

‘They were in the water, I think maybe chest-deep at, even at that," Pamela Warner said. “Maybe waist-deep. There was an undertow and my son was not an experienced swimmer. He did not know how to deal with an undertow.”

She said that her granddaughter was not in the water in Costa Rica, despite earlier reports saying that he was trying to save her when he died, adding that her granddaughter was on shore.

Pamela Warner said that when she found out about Malcolm-Jamal’s death, she let out a scream “from the bottom of my soul,” adding, “It was an indescribable pain that resonated through my body.”

In addition to his mother and his daughter, Malcolm-Jamal Warner is survived by his wife, Tenisha Warner, who recently shared their 2017 wedding photo, the day before their wedding anniversary, The Los Angeles Times reported. She wrote, “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 also announced the creation of The Warner Family Foundation and River & Ember, which was started, Not only from my knowledge as a doctor of psychology, but my own journey with grief and love. It’s about creating rituals that outlast us — the kind our children will carry as a legacy.“

River & Ember will launch next spring and will offer “seasonal toolkits that invite families to connect through story, ritual, and art — simple practices that nurture a child’s emotional rhythm, strengthen their capacity to meet life, and deepen the bond between parent and child." There will also be an app for both adults and children.

As for foundation, it will be " built to carry forward Malcolm’s creative spirit — through scholarships that reflect his artistry, courage, and authenticity."

Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s television mother, Phylicia Rashad, paid tribute to her on-camera son during the Emmy Awards “In Memoriam” segment on Sunday.

“He was a beloved teenager in an iconic television series who the world watched grow into manhood,” Rashad said. “And like all our friends and colleagues who transitioned this past year, Malcolm-Jamal Warner remains in our hearts.”