Just don't, don't die. His stand-up comedy career first took off after an iconic set on HBO's Def Comedy Jam put him squarely on the radar of a lot of big names. However, Bernie’s decision to be a full-time comedian, surprisingly, came after a downfall. Bernie’s widow and his only daughter now head the Bernie Mac Foundation for sarcoidosis. She has been married to Horce Gilmore since 2011. She was previously married to Bernie Mac. After his death, Bernie Mac's wife re-married Horace Gilmore. He was hooked up to a ventilator, and needed to have a feeding tube inserted. 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Rhonda McCullough is a producer, known for I Ain't Scared of You: A Tribute to Bernie Mac (2011), Unsung Hollywood (2014) and Biography (1987). Thankfully, she had Je’Niece who served as her pillar in those early days and vice versa. Mac first set out for a job in show business in the late '70s, but didn't really start getting noticed until the 1990s. 'I said, "I'm here. More than nine years have passed since Bernard Jeffrey McCullough's wife stood by her high school sweetheart's hospital bed, begging him not to die. Born and raised on Chicago's South Side, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian.He joined fellow comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L. Hughley in the film The Original Kings of Comedy. When he succumbed to the illness, she mourned with the rest of the family and was devastated. HuffPost is part of Verizon Media. '", Rhonda broke down in tears as she recalled her final plea to her husband, telling him 'Please don't, don't die. PETER WALKER: Are slim people ALWAYS fitter than fatties? 'It was around 2 o'clock that morning. 'I remember telling him, I said, "Please don't, don't die," she said in an interview for Oprah's Where Are They Now on OWN. He’d actually lost his full-time job. Born Bernard Jeffery McCullough, Mac met his wife, Rhonda McCullough, at Chicago Vocational High School. Bernie fulfilled his wife Rhonda Gore in his high school days when he had been very popular with girls. ', Bernie Mac earned two Emmy nominations for The Bernie Mac Show, which ran from 2001 to 2006 on Fox. “I can’t believe it’s been this long,” McCullough told the Sun-Times. Bernie Mac’s untimely and unexpected death on August 9, 2008 devastated his widow, Rhonda McCullough, and it’s a lost love that she is still pained with. 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Cousin of Kimberly Bonner. Don't die.'". On August 9, 2008, in his hometown, he died because of pneumonia. To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select 'I agree', or select 'Manage settings' for more information and to manage your choices. Rhonda McCullough said it’s been a short 10 years since the death of her husband, sharp-witted comedian Bernie Mac. The public memorial for comedian Bernie Mac was held on August 16, 2008 at Salem Baptist Church's The House of Hope in Chicago. Bernie, a Chicago comedian who made his name on HBO's Def Comedy Jam and The Bernie Mac Show, passed away at 50 years old from complications from pneumonia. Actor Jeremy Suarez arrives at the "The Bernie Mac Show" 100th episode party at Memphis on January 19, 2006 in Los Angeles, California. Complications from pneumonia took his life at the age of 50 on August 9, 2008, but not the love they shared for 30 years. Like most celebrities, Bernie’s rise to fame wasn’t easy. Three years after Bernie passed on, Rhonda moved on and got married to Horce Gilmore in 2011; she is still with him till date. Legendary comedian Bernie Mac is being remembered by fans on the 12th Anniversary of his death. The foundation's aim was to raise awareness for sarcoidosis, a disease involving the growth of collections of inflammatory cells that Bernie was diagnosed with in the 1980s. 'His lungs became extremely damaged and so did his immune system,' Rhonda told Rolling Out in 2015. 'I looked at her and I said, "He's gone, isn't he? His wife, Paige McGee, who was featured alongside him on the TLC series Seeking Sister Wife, has announced that he had a … Family — Children, Wife. I remember seeing the door open, and the doctor was standing in the doorway,' Rhonda said. But sad to say, the comedian, Bernie Mac passed away on August 9, 2008. Rhonda, Mac s wife since 1977, and their 30-year-old daughter, Je’Niece, were with him when he died. He had to be resuscitated. 'When they finally let me go into the room to see him, I was like "Oh my god,"' Rhonda recalled. 'The foundation means to me everything that Bernard was and that he wanted. Bernie Mac's widow is blaming her husband's death on the comedian's old dermatologist -- claiming the doc could have saved Bernie if he knew what he was doing. -- … — Bernie Mac (@BernieGRM) June 7, 2018. The exact cause is unknown and there is no cure. Israeli healthcare group says coronavirus infections have PLUNGED by at least 60% among vaccinated over-60s, COVID-19 positivity rate tops 10 percent in nearly a THIRD of all NYC zip codes as Gov. Sarcoidosis appears only briefly for many people, but 20 to 30 percent will suffer permanent lung damage. I'm waiting for you. 'He was just shaking, and his eyes was just, like, wide open and he wasn't really looking at anybody.'. In the early hours of August 9, Rhonda knew her husband was gone before anyone told her. He also had notable film roles in Ocean's Eleven, Soul Men, The Players Club and Booty Call. Although the remains of the amiable comedian have been laid to rest, the circumstances surrounding his untimely death was contested in a $50,000 lawsuit filed by his then widow Rhonda Gore McCullough, against Dr. Rene M. Earles, who attended to Bernie … Play it now. Rhonda would find that purpose in The Bernie Mac Foundation, which her husband started in 2007. The pair dated for two years before they married in 1977. Mac’s heart stopped beating. Bernie and Rhonda gave birth to 1 daughter, her name is Je’Niece Childress, and she was born in 1978. Her promising acting in House Party 3 (1994) as Maxine and as the Bernie Mac’s wife- Wanda Mac in Bernie Mac Shows (2001-2006) is the most remindful. 'What is my reasoning for being here now, what is my purpose, how am I going to make it now?'. Apparently he had to be recusitated twice; once he was brought back by the doctors, then went into cardiac arrest the second time. Autopsy is a show in which various medical professionals focus on celebrity autopsies in order to try and find new clues regarding their ambiguous deaths. Bernard 'Bernie Mac' McCullough was 50 when he died from pneumonia complications in August 2008, leaving behind his high school sweetheart Rhonda. 'My whole was him since I was 16, and I didn't know what I was going to do,' she said. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Rhonda McCullough filed the suit in Cook County Circuit Court, accusing dermatologist Rene M. Earles of keeping her husband at his clinic for nine hours on July 17, 2008, when he should noticed signs of respiratory failure and called an ambulance. I'm here. It has been eight years since beloved comedian Bernie Mac passed away, but his widow still breaks down in tears when recalling their final moments together. In 2012, The Bernie Mac STAR Center at … Bernie Mac was married once only to Rhonda McCullough from 1977 until the day that he passed away. Facts of Bernie Mac: Full Name: Bernie Mac: Birth Date: October 5, 1957: Age: 63 years: Death Date: August 9, 2008: Gender: Male: Profession: Actor, Comedian: Country: United States: Horoscope: Libra: Height: 6 feet 3 inches (1.91m) Wife: Rhonda Gore: Married: Rhonda Gore (1977) Net Worth: $15 Million: Eye Color: Brown: Hair Color: Black: Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois: Status Bernard 'Bernie Mac' McCullough was 50 when he died from pneumonia complications in August 2008, leaving behind his high school sweetheart Rhonda. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. Rhonda McCullough, Producer: I Ain't Scared of You: A Tribute to Bernie Mac. Sarcoidosis is an autoimmine disease that causes the growth of abnormal masses of inflammatory cells in the body. Bernie Mac's Widow Sues Doctor for Wrongful Death Rhonda McCullough is asking for $50,000 in damages in the suit which claims Dr. Rene M. Earles was negligent Read More Bernie's wife of 30 years Rhonda and 30 year old daughter Je'Niece were both with him when he died. Rhonda McCollough met Bernie Mac in 1974. By Anneta Konstantinides For Dailymail.com, Published: 10:22 EST, 16 March 2016 | Updated: 13:34 EST, 16 March 2016. I'm waiting for you. Hayes died on August 10th, 2008 the day after Bernie's death 9th August, 2008. 'So he wasn't able to fight off the typical infections like pneumonia and common colds. On Aug. 9, 2008, Mac — born Bernard Jeffrey McCullough — died at 50 from complications with pneumonia. Bernie, who was best known for The Bernie Mac Show as well as roles in Ocean's Eleven and Soul Men, had been in the hospital for two weeks. I'll take care of you. Just don't, don't die'. They can come fast and severe or develop over time. The disease mostly affects the lungs and lymph glands. Bernie Mac’s wife, Rhonda McCullough stayed with him until his last breath. “I asked him, please don’t leave. Only three years after he passed away, she decided to remarry. Friends with Chris Rock, Cedric the Entertainer, D.L. Just hours before he … Bernie Mac left behind a wife named Rhonda McCullough when he passed away in 2008. “ [The doctors] were working on him,” says … Rhonda McCullough, the widow of beloved comedian Bernie Mac, has recalled the final days of her husband's life after he was hospitalized for two weeks with pneumonia, Bernard 'Bernie Mac' McCullough was 50 when he died from pneumonia complications in August 2008, leaving behind his high school sweetheart Rhonda (pictured together at a film premiere and the Golden Globes in 2004). So, the wealth that the comedian left behind, must have … Fans of Bernie Mac were pretty shocked to learn of the comedian's death in 2008 at the age of 50-years-old. Rhonda McCullough and Bernie Mac (real name: Bernard McCullough) were together for more than 30 years before he died in 2008. Cool Hand Luke Oscar winner and Naked Gun character actor... 'She is once again with the man she loved': Politicians and... 'You gave me the energy to go on': Celine Dion posts... Big Ang's hometown of Staten Island honors her memory with a... 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Although Bernie Mac was in remission at the time of his death, his family said the disease had taken a toll on him as he got older. Rhonda McCullough, Mac’s wife of 30 years, recalls the day her husband died. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. Business owners issue desperate appeal for aid after pandemic and anti-Asian racism has decimated Chinatown in New York, San Francisco and Seattle, Shocking moment cop car runs over man and miraculously leaves him with just minor injuries after angry crowd surrounded the vehicle as police tried to stop a Fast and Furious style burnout, How letters nearly put paid to David Lean's version of A Passage To India amid concerns from the executors of E.M. Forster's literary estate that he was trying to simplify a complex tale, 'I remember telling him, I said, "Please don't, don't die," she said in an interview for Oprah's Where Are They Now on. In the nearly two years since his death, memories are all friends, family and fans have to cling to. Bernie Mac suffered from sarcoidosis in his last years. The wife of late comedian Bernie Mac filed a wrongful death lawsuit Thursday against Mac's longtime Chicago doctor. "Our hearts go out to the McGee family following the loss of husband and father Bernie … Fox was proud to be the home of 'The Bernie Mac Show,' and all of us at Fox and 20th Century Fox Television extend our deepest sympathies to his wife, Rhonda, and daughter, JeNiece." Rhonda McCullough was right by her husband's side when he as struggling with pneumonia. New study by Boston researchers says you can blame it on your ethnicity. His sister Mary Ann recalls her brother and sister-in-law's last conversation: [Rhonda said] 'Don't leave me … Proof the Pfizer Covid vaccine works in the real world? Bernard Jeffrey McCullough (October 5, 1957 – August 9, 2008), better known by his stage name Bernie Mac, was an American comedian, actor, and voice actor. If he did get sick it was really detrimental to his health.'. Son-in-law of Mary Simmons. Hughley, Joe Torry, and Steve Harvey. In rare cases it is fatal, usually due to complications in the lungs, heart or brain. Three years later, they got married. After that incident, the family fell apart into fragments. Rhonda said everything began going wrong on the morning of August 8. Reality star Bernie McGee, 41, died suddenly over the weekend. That's when his heart stopped beating and the doctors had to resuscitate him. The comments below have not been moderated. | Photo: Getty Images Not only has the actor continued to thrive both on-screen since then, but he has also managed to start a family as he reportedly got married back in 2017. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Symptoms widely vary, from shortness of breath and coughing to swollen joins, an enlarged liver or hearing loss. Comedian Bernie Mac’s death in 2008 affected all of his fans very deeply, but none as much as his wife Rhonda. Find out more about how we use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. Rhonda found it hard to keep the foundation going immediately after Bernie's death, but two years later she decided she was ready to 'pick it back up'. Talking about his family, Bernie Mac was married to his high school girlfriend Rhonda Gore, with whom he had a daughter named Ja'Niece Childress. It’s been a decade since the death of comedian and actor Bernie Mac, who grew up on Chicago’s South Side. Even though Rhonda and her daughter were helpless, they did not leave each other. So I just really can't let it go now. 'What better way to have his legacy live on,' she said. In the years since Mac’s death, Rhonda says she has found renewed purpose through the Bernie Mac Foundation, which the late comedian started a year before his death to promote awareness and research for sarcoidosis, a disease from which he suffered. Renounced medical examiner Dr. Michael Hunter was the one who investigated the beloved ’90s comedian Bernie Mac’s death that took place under mysterious circumstances. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through the use of cookies and similar technologies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. She passed Bernie in the halls of high school and couldn't understand why he was so popular with women. I'll take care of you. Image Sources: Ebony Magazine. "Seeking Sister Wife" star Bernie McGee has died at the age of 41. The Bernie Mac Foundation was established in 2007, a year before his death, to create awareness about sarcoidosis. He struggled to become a household name and Rhonda McCullough, who was married to Bernie from 1977 until his death in 2008, always stood by his side. Her act in the Bernie Mac Show nominated her in the category Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series of BET Comedy Awards (2004 & 2005) and an NAACP Image Awards for the title Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy … Just hours before he passed, Rhonda McCullough remembered making one final plea of her husband of more than 30 years - begging him not to die. “When they finally let me go into the room to see him, I was like, ‘Oh, my God,’’ Rhonda says. Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps. “What better way to have his legacy live on?” Rhonda says. Now, the show "Autopsy" is having their medical professionals uncover new evidence in the death of Mac.