Following Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s tragic death, his Reed Between the Lines costar Tracee Ellis shared an emotional tribute on Instagram.

Tracee Ellis Ross is mourning the tragic loss of a dear friend.

Shortly after news broke that The Cosby Show alum Malcolm-Jamal Warner died from an accidental drowning in Costa Rica at age 54, the Black-ish actress honored her Reed Between the Lines costar with a touching tribute.

“I love you, Malcolm,” Ross wrote in a July 21 Instagram post alongside pictures of the pair. “First I met you as Theo with the rest of the world then you were my first TV husband. My heart is so so sad.”

She continued, “What an actor and friend you were: warm, gentle, present, kind, thoughtful, deep, funny, elegant. You made the world a brighter place. Sending so much love to your family. I’m so sorry for this unimaginable loss.”

While Warner rose to fame as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show as a teen, in the decades after the sitcom came to an end he continued to make his mark on TV, including on Malcolm & Eddie, Reed Between the Lines and The Resident. He also made multiple appearances on Community, where he portrayed the on-screen husband of Yvette Nicole Brown, who also shared that Warner’s loss had “devastated” her. 

“I don’t have the words right now so I am repurposing these beautiful ones from my dear friend, who I adored,” she captioned an Instagram video of the actor encouraging his followers to be a reason for others to smile. “This video is a glimpse of the love he would share just randomly. To have him as a friend was a blessing from God.”

Brown added, “He was one of one. I love you @malcolmjamalwar. I always have. I always will. Thank you for being a real one.”

Prior to his death, Warner had been swimming in the Playa Grande de Cocles area of Puerto Viejo de Limón on July 20, Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency confirmed to E! News in a translated statement. 

“Regarding the preliminary investigation, the victim appears to have entered the sea and was apparently swept away by a current,” the July 21 statement said. “The man was rescued by bystanders and taken to shore, where he received treatment from the Costa Rican Red Cross. However, he was declared lifeless at the scene.”

Costa Rican National Police later confirmed to ABC News that Warner’s cause of death was asphyxia.

Read on for a look back at Warner’s life in photos. 

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Source: www.eonline.com