Isaiah Washington, 63, disclosed in an Instagram post on Saturday that his wife of 29 years, Jenisa, collapsed suddenly on May 31, 2025 and died nine days later. "Yes…the rumors are true," he wrote. "My dear wife of 29 years collapsed suddenly on May 31, 2025 and passed away on June 9, 2025. She succumbed to a massive hemorrhagic stroke and never recovered."
Washington said her death came as a "huge shock" and used the post to warn followers about the dangers of dismissing severe headaches: "Some headaches are not just headaches or migraines, they can be much worse and a warning sign. Get a brain scan if you can and take those headaches seriously."
The couple married on Valentine's Day 1996 after meeting at a dinner party and shared three children — sons Isaiah V and Tyme and daughter Iman. Washington explained that his late wife was "extremely private," which is why he kept the loss out of public view for 16 months.
Washington played Dr. Preston Burke on "Grey's Anatomy" and later appeared in "P-Valley" from 2020 to 2022; he retired from acting in 2023.
