Isaiah Washington has revealed that his wife of 29 years, Jenisa Garland, died more than a year ago after a sudden medical emergency his family had kept private.
The former Grey’s Anatomy actor said Garland collapsed on May 31, 2025, and died on June 9 after suffering what he described as a “massive hemorrhagic stroke.” Washington publicly shared the news for the first time in an October 3 Instagram post.
“Yes…the rumors are true,” Washington wrote, according to PEOPLE. He called her death a “huge shock” to him and their entire family and said she never recovered after the stroke.
Garland left behind the three children she and Washington raised together: Tyme, Iman and Isaiah V. Washington said protecting her privacy had shaped his decision to keep the loss out of public view for roughly 16 months.
Washington Says Jenisa Never Recovered After Her Sudden Collapse
Washington said Garland remained alive for nine days after collapsing before dying on June 9. “She succumbed to a massive hemorrhagic stroke and never recovered,” he wrote in his announcement. He then used the post to urge followers to take potentially serious headaches seriously after what his family had experienced.
A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when an artery in the brain leaks or ruptures, causing bleeding that can damage brain tissue, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC lists a sudden severe headache with no known cause among possible stroke symptoms, alongside sudden weakness or numbness, confusion, vision problems, difficulty speaking and loss of balance. Stroke symptoms require immediate emergency care.
Washington went further in his personal message by encouraging people with concerning headaches to consider a brain scan.
He Kept Her Death Private for Roughly 16 Months
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By the time Washington spoke publicly, Garland had been gone for close to 16 months. “She has been gone 16 months now, but she left 3 incredibly amazing children behind to continue her legacy,” he wrote.
Washington also acknowledged the tension he felt in sharing even that much. Garland had valued privacy throughout their marriage, and he joked gently that revealing the news might earn him a reprimand “from her on the other side.”
Washington was describing a death that occurred in June 2025. Friends and fellow actors responded to the post with condolences. PEOPLE reported that Viola Davis wrote, “So very sorry Isaiah,” while Tichina Arnold and Debi Mazar were among those who also sent messages of support.
Jenisa Built a Life Outside Her Husband’s Acting Career
Garland largely remained outside the celebrity spotlight even as Washington became widely known for playing Dr. Preston Burke on Grey’s Anatomy.
She had worked in fashion and later described herself as the founder and executive director of the Impact Circle Foundation, a nonprofit focused on supporting underserved families, women and children.
In a 2021 Shoutout LA interview, Garland spoke about the people who shaped her life and thanked Washington for giving her the opportunity to stay home and raise their three children.
She described Isaiah, Tyme and Iman as “beautiful talented kind generous world travelers” while discussing the family alongside her philanthropic work.
Washington Had Said Marriage and Fatherhood Changed His Career
Years before Garland’s death, Washington spoke openly about how becoming a husband and father changed the decisions he made as an actor. “For me, being married and having children did change a lot of my trajectory,” he told Fox News Digital in 2022.
Washington said he became more selective about roles because he thought about how his children might eventually view the work. He also credited marriage and parenthood with helping him grow personally.
Washington and Garland married on Valentine’s Day in 1996 after meeting the previous year.
He Later Thanked the Friend Who Introduced Them
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Washington returned to Garland’s memory again on October 5 while paying tribute to actor and comedian Reggie McFadden, whose death had just been announced.
McFadden had played an important role in Washington’s own family story. “RIP Reggie McFadden. Say hello to Jenisa Washington, because it was you who introduced me to her in 1995,” Washington wrote, according to PEOPLE.