The doctor who tried to save the late Malcolm-Jamal Warner is sharing his story. The doctor recalled how he pulled Warner out of the “rough” Costa Rica ocean and brought him to shore.
Doctor Recalls How He Tried to Save Malcolm-Jamal Warner
In a July 2025 interview with Us Weekly, the doctor, who asked not to be identified by name, shared that he was enjoying his vacation at the time of the incident.
“I was about 200 meters from the incident, at Playa Grande, spending the day on vacation with my partner,” he recalled. “There were very few people on the beach, and the sea was rough.”
According to the outlet, the doctor heard people calling for help. “I ran to the area and entered the sea with my surfboard, heading into the rip current toward the person being pointed at by some beachgoers,” the doctor shared.
He continued, “After a few minutes, I saw a shadow, dove down and pulled the person out.”
The doctor got back to the beach and found another man lying on the sand who was struggling to breathe. “[He was] just someone who tried to help during the emergency, without any rescue equipment,” the doctor noted.
He went on to describe the emergency personnel who arrived on scene. “Immediately, [first responders] began providing first aid to Malcolm, but he had no vital signs,” the doctor recalled.
He added, “Two tourists ran over to help. They identified themselves as doctors, making a total of three physicians at the scene.”
Red Cross personnel arrived and used specialized equipment, including a defibrillator, but Warner did not respond. He was pronounced dead at the scene at age 54.
The other man was transported to a local medical clinic and was later released.
“The people who take part in this kind of rescue are always deeply affected,” the doctor shared. “You have to understand it’s not easy, and it also takes time to heal.”
New Details Emerge About Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s Daughter
Elberth León, head of the Tourist Police for Costa Rica’s Atlantic region, initially said Warner’s 8-year-old daughter was in the water with him and was rescued, but new reports say otherwise.
Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) confirmed she was on the shore at the time of the incident, People reports.
“Mr. Warner was playing with his daughter at the seashore at one point. He then left her out of the water, and he and a friend of his entered the sea,” the statement read.
“It was at that moment that they were swept away by the current, and the friend managed to get out,” the statement noted. “However, Mr. Warner was unable to get out and was pulled out by several people on the beach. He received care from Red Cross officials, but was pronounced dead at the scene.”
The actor’s cause of death was ruled “asphyxiation by submersion.”
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Doctor Who Tried to Rescue Beloved Malcolm-Jamal Warner Speaks Out