The doctor who pulled Malcolm-Jamal Warner out of the Costa Rica waters last Sunday has broken his silence.
The medical professional, who asked not to be named, told Us Weekly Thursday that he was “about 200 meters from the incident.”
He was on vacation in the town of Playa Grande, he said, adding that there were “very few people on the beach” that day, largely because the “sea was rough.”
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He said he suddenly heard people screaming and asking for help, and he immediately “ran to the area and entered the sea with [his] surfboard, heading into the rip current toward the person being pointed at by some beachgoers.”
The doctor said he “saw a shadow” after a few minutes and quickly “dove down and pulled the person out.”
Upon reaching the beach with Warner, the doctor said he saw another man lying on the sand, who had tried to help during the emergency without any rescue equipment and was now struggling to breathe.
“Immediately, [first responders] began providing first aid to Malcolm, but he had no vital signs,” the doctor said.
He indicated that two tourists who also identified themselves as doctors “ran over to help.” Costa Rican Red Cross personnel arrived shortly after and used specialized equipment on Warner, including a defibrillator, but the “Cosby Show” star did not respond.
Warner was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other man who tried to help was sent to a local medical clinic in critical condition. He has since been released.
“The people who take part in this kind of rescue are always deeply affected,” the doctor said. “You have to understand it’s not easy, and it also takes time to heal.”
Warner’s cause of death was ruled “asphyxiation by submersion.”
