A doctor claims they tried to save the life of actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner prior to his tragic death via drowning at 54 Sunday in Costa Rica.
A doctor, who preferred not to reveal their name, shared with Us Weekly on Thursday, “I was about 200 meters away from the incident at Playa Grande, enjoying a vacation day with my partner.”
‘There were very few people on the beach, and the sea was rough.’
The doctor said they rushed to the area The Cosby Show actor was at, upon hearing a hubbub.
The doctor explained, “I rushed to the location and, using my surfboard, made my way into the rip current toward the individual pointed out by some beachgoers. After a few minutes, I noticed a shadow, dived down, and pulled the person out.”
Additionally, the doctor mentioned that another beachgoer was also in distress at that moment. This person was described merely as someone attempting to assist during the emergency, despite lacking any rescue equipment.
A doctor claims they tried to save the life of actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner prior to his tragic death via drowning Sunday in Costa Rica. Pictured 2023 in LA
The actor’s body was brought to the Judicial Investigation Department in Costa Rica
Costa Rica Atlantic region Tourist Police head Elberth León told the outlet that a pair of males were tended to at the scene, including the beloved actor, who portrayed Theo Huxtable on the 1980s smash hit.
‘Immediately, [first responders] began providing first aid to Malcolm, but he had no vital signs,’ León told the outlet. ‘Two tourists ran over to help.
‘They identified themselves as doctors, making a total of three physicians at the scene.’
The other person was transported to a nearby medical facility in critical condition, and was subsequently released.
León told the outlet that Warner and his eight-year-old daughter had been ensnared in a rip current at Playa Cocles in the Limon province.
A nearby Good Samaritan helped rescue the child back to shore, León said.
‘Obviously, as a father, he fought for his daughter, but the current in that area is very strong, and they couldn’t accomplish the objective,’ the public official said of the actor.
Officials with the Judicial Investigation Department in Costa Rica said that the actor died Sunday after he drowned while on a Caribbean beach in the country.
The actor’s untimely passing drew out multiple tributes from his colleagues and fans
Warner had been at Playa Cocles in the Limon province, authorities said, and had been drawn deep into the water by a current
Warner played the role of Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show opposite Bill Cosby’s Dr. Heathcliff ‘Cliff’ Huxtable
Warner’s death was ruled as ‘asphyxia due to submersion,’ and accidental, Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency confirmed to the publication Tuesday.
The doctor told the outlet they were deeply emotionally impacted in the aftermath of the tragic death.
‘The people who take part in this kind of rescue are always deeply affected,’ said the doctor. ‘You have to understand it’s not easy, and it also takes time to heal.’
A first report from the department said that the actor had been ‘rescued by people on the beach.’
Red Cross officials said that first responders who located Warner could not detect vital signs; and subsequently transferred him to a nearby morgue.
Warner’s career in entertainment spanned more than four decades, as he also had featured roles on sitcoms such as Malcolm & Eddie, Listen Up and Read Between the Lines and drama shows such as The Resident and Jeremiah.
Warner spoke with the AP in 2015 about his drive in maintaining his career after The Cosby Show went off the air nearly a quarter-century ago.
Warner’s career in entertainment spanned more than four decades, as he also had featured roles on sitcoms such as Malcolm & Eddie, Listen Up and Read Between the Lines and drama shows such as The Resident and Jeremiah. Pictured in 2017
Said the actor, ‘I grew up with a maniacal obsession with not wanting to be one of those “Where are they now kids.”‘
He continued, ‘I feel very blessed to be able to have all of these avenues of expression … to be where I am now and finally at a place where I can let go of that worry about having a life after Cosby.’
Warner, who received a nomination for an Emmy in 1986 for supporting actor in a comedy, told the AP in 2015 that the sex assault accusations against Cosby had ‘tarnished’ the legacy of the series, which virtually disappeared from heavy play in syndication amid Cosby’s legal issues.
‘My biggest concern is when it comes to images of people of color on television and film,’ Warner said. ‘We’ve always had The Cosby Show to hold up against that.
‘And the fact that we no longer have that, that’s the thing that saddens me the most because in a few generations the Huxtables will have been just a fairy tale.’
