Rhonda McCullough on Bernie Mac
Rhonda McCullough reveals today the final moments before the death of her husband Bernie Mac. Rhonda McCullough and Bernie Mac were married since 1977 but that all changed when he tragically approached death after being admitted to a Chicago hospital last month.
Rhonda reveals when Bernie was first admitted she thought he would be better and be out in a week. But when he did not improve after the first few days, she said she knew what was now in God’s hands. “He didn’t look good to me and I knew this could be it,” she tells People.
Rhonda remembes the sad last moments between her and Bernie:
“I said, ‘Hey Bernard. How are you?’ and I kissed his forehead. He shrugged his shoulders, like ‘I’m tired’ and I said, ‘I know you’re tired.’ Later on that night, it took a turn for the worse.”
Eventually, after the arrival of their daughter Je’Niece, 30, the two received the news in a waiting room “[The doctor] came in and I said, ‘He’s gone, isn’t he?’ and she said ‘yes,’ “.
Their marriage was all high school love that lasted a lifetime. She was a 16-year-old junior and he was a 17-year-old senior, both at Chicago Vocational High School.
Even then, Bernie had game, in a funny way.
“He said, ‘You never seen a black man as pretty as me.’ And I said, ‘No, I sure haven’t.’ And he said, ‘Girl, you know I’m so beautiful,’” she reportedly.
On a personal note, it’s hard for LALATE to write this story. Very hard. You know, Bernie Mac is not the first person that LALATE has written about sadly passing. But in our first year of reporting at LALATE, Bernie’s death is the hardest to write about. And your reaction has been the same.
It’s not right that he is gone. But God does what he has to do. Often it makes no sense. But in death, Bernie has brought us all together. This weekend, that will shown as a massive number of people are expected to show up for his memorial that will be covered here on LALATE.
LALATE has been reading you messages to Bernie and his family. They show how he touched so many of us in different ways. But more importantly, it shows how in a country that often seeks to divide people Bernie brought people together, in life, love, humor, and brilliance.
On a side note, LALATE has read those comments of readers who are located close to the memorial but don’t have means of transportation to get to the memorial. Please use your local news stations in Chicago and simply call them up and see if there is means to coordinate transportation to the event.
If you want to read what others have commented about his passing, and perhaps add another comment, go here:
http://news.lalate.com/2008/08/11/bernie-mac-funeral/
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