Denzel Washington Owes His Life to Single Mom — She Struggled to Make Ends Meet to Keep Him Out of Trouble

Denzel Washington's first love was his mom, who worked hard to make ends meet and keep him out of trouble. He made her a promise just before she died and has never strayed from its fulfillment.

Some parents dread the teenage age of their kids because they know what it means. In Denzel Washington's case, it was "mischievous." According to him, he was always close to landing in a penitentiary but thankfully, he never got in.

Some of his friends were not so lucky, and they ended up doing jail time. Denzel would have most likely done time, too, but he got help from his mother, Lennis Washington.

Lennis, who used to be a beautician, had severed her marital ties to her husband, a pentecostal minister, when Denzel was a boy of 14, so she had to raise him and his siblings, Lorice and David, alone.

It was not easy, but Lennis was somehow able to save money to send him to a private school and keep him far from trouble even though she had to work a lot. According to him, he was messing up terribly at school, and they sent him home sometimes, but rather than open her doors to him, Lennis just sent him back to school. He said:

"She taught us right from wrong."

She also had an uncanny ability to see what was coming from miles away. In a past interview, Denzel talked about how he had been embroiled in street activities in the late 60s and got into lots of trouble.

Their activities landed three of his closest friends in jail, but he escaped because of Lennis's foresight. She had known his involvement could be potentially damaging, so she saved up enough cash and sent him to a private school.

Even when he came here in summer, she would send him to camp, leaving him no space or time to get embroiled in dangerous activities and thus helping him escape jail.

That teaching did not stop when he got older. In fact, at age 59, he still took her advice which enabled him to dig deeper into his faith and finally give up alcohol completely. The talented actor has quit drinking and virtually has no vices he still tolerates.

All she has to say to him is, "all right, baby," regardless of what he does.

Lennis was a great mom, but she was also a very successful businesswoman and opened three profitable salons in Mount Vernon. The proceeds made it relatively easy for her to send Denzel and his siblings to private schools, which saved them.

He Taught His Kids What She Taught Him

Lennis had to raise three kids alone, so she could not afford to be all soft. She showed them a lot of tough love, but it all paid off, especially in Denzel's case. He is an award-laden actor and a great family man who created a family he is proud of.

He has enjoyed more than his fair share of financial success; however, Denzel believes his greatest accomplishment is his family. That palpable love of family is another thing he emulated from Lennis. He said:

"My mother used to tell me man gives the award, and God gives the reward. I don't need another plaque. Acting is just a way of making a living. Family is life."

Denzel can't fault his mother's lessons, so he also chooses to impart them to his kids. He also showed them tough love, but it paid off as his kids went on to make waves in their respective areas of specialization.

The "Equalizer" actor once revealed that his eldest son told him that he used to perceive him as "strict" but that he now "appreciates it." Denzel believes that free will can be a double-edged sword, and by 21, his son had figured that out too.

Denzel believes that his kids are good people. He knows they are not perfect, but he can attest to their generosity, humbleness, and kindness. Of course, he could not have done it without his spouse, Pauletta Washington, whom he married on June 25, 1983.

His Binding Promise

Lennis passed away in 2021 at the age of 97, but even though Denzel loved her very much, he did not shed any tears at her funeral. He later appeared on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" to promote his role in Joel Coen's "The Tragedy of Macbeth" as well as his directorial attempt, "A Journal for Jordan."

He admitted that he did not cry to Colbert, but as he spoke about her on the show, Denzel got choked up and, despite his attempts to stabilize himself, ended up shedding repressed tears as he told Colbert about how he was grateful to have her live so long. He also said:

"A son, especially their first son, is a mother's, last true love. My mother never gave up on me."

Just saying that made Denzel teary, and he apologized to the audience as he wiped his eyes. Afterward, he explained that the statement had been proven by his son and wife, who share a strong bond.

According to Denzel, all she has to say to him is, "all right, baby," regardless of what he does. Returning to the subject of his mom, Denzel got emotional again, and it seemed like he had saved his tears for the show because he got very emotional each time he tried to talk about her.

At some point, he requested a tissue to wipe his eyes before saying: "This is terrible!" When Colbert asked him why he had not expressed himself at the funeral, Denzel joked about how he was saving it up for Colbert. Denzel also confirmed to the host that he gave his mom the hardest time among all three of them.

Still, just before her demise, Denzel made Lennis a promise that he would "attempt to honor her and God by living the rest of my days in a way that would make her proud. So that's what I'm trying to do."

Denzel has imparted similar lessons to his kids, and they are now doing fine with their respective lives. Lennis may be gone, but her influence is still clearly felt in the legacies she left behind.