Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s widow, Tenisha Warner, has received support from a longtime friend as she handles life after his death. Her friend, Destiny Rael, started a fundraising campaign for Tenisha and her 9-year-old daughter. Tenisha is also involved in an ongoing legal dispute over money she claims Malcolm-Jamal owed her. The case involves his estate and a family trust.
A friend launched a fundraiser for Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s widow amid her ongoing estate battle
Rael said in the fundraiser campaign that she has known Tenisha for 19 years and introduced her to Malcolm-Jamal. She launched the GoFundMe after seeing how Tenisha struggled during her first year without her husband. The campaign aims to help cover legal fees, house repairs, and the cost of raising their daughter. At the time of publication, it had raised nearly $35,000 toward its $40,000 goal.
Rael said Tenisha is continuing to homeschool her daughter while grieving privately. She said Tenisha returned home after Malcolm-Jamal’s death and found unexpected flooding had damaged the property. Rael also said Tenisha used her savings and borrowed money from loved ones to cover growing costs. “Every single day she shows up for her child,” Rael wrote.
Tenisha filed legal actions in Georgia and California over a 2022 prenuptial agreement and the Warner Family Trust. She alleges Malcolm-Jamal agreed to leave her as the sole beneficiary of a $1 million life insurance policy. She is also seeking more than $50,000 in unpaid marital payments, $30,500 from a Roth IRA, and about $195,000 for her work as his chief of staff and assistant. Her petition in Los Angeles seeks at least $1,276,042.46, plus interest, legal costs, and attorney fees.
Tenisha said she attempted to resolve the estate on her own before filing legal action. She said Malcolm-Jamal planned to provide for her and their daughter, MacKenzie, but died before completing a new estate plan. She said the existing plan dated back to 1996, before they met or had their daughter. Tenisha stated that she had to take action to protect their rights before any legal deadline expired.
Malcolm-Jamal died at 54 after being caught in a riptide while vacationing with his family in Costa Rica. Tenisha spoke about the loss in her first televised interview with Gayle King. She called his death “the worst day of my life” and said her main focus remained their daughter.
“The fundraiser doesn’t ask anyone to take sides, it’s just support for a grieving wife and mother,” Rael said.
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TENISHA’S CLAIMS ABOUT MALCOLM-JAMAL WARNER’S ESTATE?
