‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star Isaiah Washington reveals his wife died more than a year after her death
Isaiah Washington and his late wife, Jenisa Garland, who died last year.Tibrina Hobson / GettyShareAdd NBC News to GoogleOct. 5, 2026, 10:55 AM EDTBy Minyvonne BurkeFormer “Grey’s Anatomy” star Isaiah Washington revealed in an Instagram post over the weekend that his wife of 29 years, Jenisa Washington, died more than a year ago.
Appearing to address speculation, Washington said “the rumors are true” and that his wife had “collapsed suddenly” in May 2025 and died on June 9, 2025.
“It came as a huge shock to me and our entire family. She succumbed to a massive hemorrhagic stroke and never recovered,” he wrote on Saturday. “Listen, y’all…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.”
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According to MedlinePlus, symptoms can include a sudden severe headache, sudden dizziness or trouble walking, sudden confusion and sudden numbness or weakness in the face.
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Celebrities including Viola Davis, Loni Love, Michael Beach, Tichina Arnold, and Neil Brown Jr. offered their condolences to Washington.
Washington appeared on “Grey’s Anatomy” as Dr. Preston Burke, but was fired in 2007 after he used a homophobic slur against a co-star. He later apologized.
Minyvonne Burke is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News.
