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People Magazine has more details about Bernie Mac’s death, and they’re heartbreaking. The 50 year-old comic had been in the hospital since July 24 for treatment for pneumonia. He developed the illness due to a new drug he was on to treat his chronic autoimmune disorder, sarcoidosis. The drug suppressed his immune system, which made him vulnerable and resulted in pneumonia. He was put on a ventilator in the hospital and was unable to talk and had trouble breathing. Mac died in a Chicago hospital on Saturday after his heart failed twice. When his heart failed the first time he was revived by doctors and survived for about an hour until he went into cardiac arrest again and passed. His wife of 31 years and his daughter, Je’Niece, 30, were by his side when he died.
The sad thing is that he was cured of one strain of pneumonia but developed another strain in the hospital. He was unable to speak during his hospitalization, but did communicate nonverbally with his wife.
Speaking of a heartbreaking moment between her younger sister, Rhonda, and the 50-year-old actor-comedian – who succumbed to complications from pneumonia in a Chicago hospital at 2 a.m. Saturday – Mary Ann Grossett says that the night before Mac died, “He struggled for his life. He couldn’t breathe.
“He opened his eyes on his own and looked at Rhonda. She called his name, and he opened his eyes and nodded to her. She smiled at him and told him, ‘Don’t leave me … ‘I’m waiting for you to come back.’ He shrugged his shoulders, and she said that’s when she knew he was tired. He signaled to her that his body was tired.”
Rhonda, Mac’s wife since 1977, and their 30-year-old daughter, Je’Niece, 30, were with him when he died. “[The doctors] were working on him,” says Grossett. “They tried to resuscitate him two times. One time he came back for about an hour. Then he went into cardiac arrest the second time.”
Prior to that, the couple had last communicated on July 31. “He told his wife [non-verbally] that he could breathe on his own, and he wanted the ventilator out. He motioned that he wanted it out,” says Grossett.
Lung Disease Contributed
The sister-in-law says Mac’s inflammatory lung disease contributed to his death. “He had sarcoidosis, but it was in remission,” she says. “But because he had it, his immune system was compromised. He had an infection … He was on a new medication that suppresses the immune system, and that’s where the pneumonia came from.”She reveals that Mac – having trouble breathing and running a fever – was actually hospitalized on July 24, eight days before the date given for his admittance. The actor was diagnosed with pneumonia and immediately placed on a ventilator.
“He was critically ill when he was in the hospital,” says Gossett. “He was in intensive care the whole time.”
She adds that doctors kept the star sedated, although he was conscious at times and he contracted a second strain of pneumonia while in the hospital.
[From People.com]
People has more quotes from Mac’s sister in law, Mary Ann Grossett, and she says her sister met the funnyman when they were both just teens and that he told her “Girl, you better come on board this train, because I’m going to be rich.” Mary Ann says that her sister Rhonda will get through the incredible loss of her husband of over 30 years through her faith in God. She said “Not only was she his wife, but she was his best friend. She’s going to miss him dearly.”
Mac’s friends and co-stars have given their respects and regrets at his untimely death. Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Chris Rock are among the celebrities who have issued statements. I especially like Carl Reiner’s description of how Mac used to cook for his co-workers on the Oceans films.
Brad Pitt: “I lament the loss of a ferociously funny and hardcore family man. My thoughts are with [his wife] Rhonda and their family. Bernie Mac, you are already missed.”
George Clooney: “The world just got a little less funny. He will be dearly missed.”
Chris Rock: “Bernie Mac was one of the best and funniest comedians to ever live, but that was the second best thing he did. Bernie was one of the greatest friends a person could have. Losing him is like losing 12 people because he absolutely filled up any room he was in. I’m gonna miss the Mac Man.”
Cedric the Entertainer: “It’s hard to put into words just how I feel and what a painful loss this is. Bernie was a brother, a friend and one of the comic masters of our time. Sharing the marquee with him during the phenomenon of the Kings of Comedy tour bonded us like family, and created a unique moment in comic history marking some of the most meaningful, memorable and fun times of our lives. His comedic approach was his own brand and will definitely stand the test of time. The level of his talent always inspired me and other comedians to ‘bring their A-game.’ I promise you that you never wanted to be the guy who had to follow Bernie’s set! As a husband and father, he was THE MAN and my thoughts and prayers are with his family. He will truly be missed, but so well remembered.”Don Cheadle: “This is a very sad day for many of us who knew and loved Bernie. He brought so much joy to so many. He will be missed, but heaven just got funnier.”
Ocean’s Eleven costar Carl Reiner: “It’s a tremendous loss because of his age and the fact that he was such a vital, original human being. When I use the word ‘original’ I really mean it. He was like no other person I knew. He lived his life to the fullest, even when we were on the set of Ocean’s. He had his own little apartment and he cooked and invited people to lunch every day and he had food that was for everybody. He made very exotic things. His conversations were always different than any conversations I had with anyone else. They were very family-oriented; he talked about his wife and children with such love and it’s very hard to believe that he’s not with us anymore.”
Actress/comedienne Niecy Nash, who played Mac’s little sister on the hit television series The Bernie Mac Show and acted opposite him in the 2005 film Guess Who, said this about her friend and mentor: “His passing is such a major loss to the acting and comedy communities. Bernie Mac was the personification of the word ‘real.’ He kept it real. That kind of genuine spirit that he carried all the time cannot be easily duplicated, but I will do my very best to try.”
Jenifer Lewis: ”Bernie’s style of comedy was bold, courageous and revolutionary—I never knew anyone who loved to be funny as much as Bernie. He will most definitely be very missed.”Samuel L. Jackson, Mac’s costar in the November 2008 flick Soul Men: “It goes without saying that Bernie was one of the preeminent comedians of our generation. He was also an attentive husband, a great father and loving grandfather. I feel blessed to have shared years of friendship with Bernie Mac and I’m honored to have finally costarred with him in what I consider to be his finest cinematic acting achievement. My sincere prayer is that his family will be comforted by the warmth of love from all of us who knew and respected this man.”
[From E! Online]
Bernie Mac was an incredibly talented and funny guy who cherished his family and worked hard for his success. He will be greatly missed.
Here’s Bernie Mac in the Kings of Comedy talking about how it’s a bother to have sex. This has a lot of f-bombs and adult content and is NSFW or for kids, but it’s damn funny:
Here are file photos of Bernie, thanks to PRPhotos.
Written by Celebitchy
Posted in Bernie Mac, Deaths
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35 Responses to “Bernie Mac died of cardiac arrest, was with his family at the end”
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I just want to say I love this man funny jokes and his great sense of humor. To his wife and daughter God will get you through this. Bernie will always have a lot of fans and I will miss him dearly
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Sweetest smile. Love Reiner’s tribute too, paints such a warm, generous picture of him.
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God, what an unfair, cruel loss. What a monumentally unfair, infuriating, heartbreaking loss.@ Geronimo - yes, Reiner et alia up there paint a warm, generous piocture of him, and it is REAL, he really was all those beautiful things. These people are not exagerrating. Bernie mac was one of those exceedingly rare, completely good-to-the-bone people. It’s not really generous, what Reiner and them are saying, it’s all quite true.
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:lol: Great clip CB - he was such a brat
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I will miss Bernie Mac and his comedy.
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Um, the ‘generous’ was directed at Bernie, snowblood, as in ‘paints a pic of a warm, generous man’….I believe you may have misread my comment.
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This is just too sad, every picture you see of him he’s smiling ear to ear…rest in peace.
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okay what the hell?…Isaac Hayes has supposedly died!!!
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Oh, I’m sorry, Geronimo! Please don’t be offended, I was just reiterating that he really was all the things they say above, and more, but I absolutely didn’t mean to misread anything of yours, bella.
I was in the shower just now, thinking, and I remembered back to an instance when I was doing background acting in one of the first episodes I did on the Bernie Mac Show. I played a young mother and I even had my own pretend little girl - anyway.
The little girl and I had to walk hand-in-hand from one part of the set to the other, crossing in front of the camera, and Bernie Mac was to cross US coming from the other direction. I was quietly nervous as all get-out, and Bernie Mac sensed it, amazingly enough - he was incredibly sensitive. So, for about 4 takes, he kept pretending to bump into me & the little girl, getting us giggling and giving us his smiles, he was completely setting us at ease - and we were just background! Nobody “special.” But he was like that, he noticed everybody, and he didn’t have an elitist cell in his body, unlike so, so SO many other top-rung celebrities.
How many other stars would go out of their way and deliberately f**k up 4 or 5 takes during a shoot JUST to get some background actors to relax and smile and feel good? Pretty much no one, as far as I’ve ever experienced, just Bernie Mac.
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It’s creepy because I thought he was younger than 50. He also looks really young anyway. It’s been so sad these last few days, him and now Isaac Hayes….damn…
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Great story Snowblood, you made me smile
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Still can’t believe it. Rest in peace Mr Mac.
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Just watched that YouTube clip, that was awesome! Had me laughing the whole way through. His daycare center, “I will f**k yo’ kid UP!”
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The wife and I are gonna miss his talent.
Just to clarify, everyone dies of cardiac arrest. Otherwise death would be much creepier!
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The saddest part is, he was cured of one strain of pneumonia, then picked up a different strain in the hospital. How awful — the hospital ended up killing him.
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This is so sad. Reading this post actually made me cry. I hope his family is alright and that God is holding them close and easing their hearts. He was/is so cool. Married thirty years… Godbless at the new gift heaven has received.
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What a sad, sad thing to happen. And that story was so touching snowblood.
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i will miss him and even reading this there is a part of me that is laughing at the some of the things he said that made me laugh and there is a part of me that feels so sad…
this is a great loss.
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this $hit blows. i love him, he was hella funny. his show kicked!
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Thanks, Daisy & Kris. I will never forget this beautiful man, and the conversations we held together those few times. I seriously always just took it for granted that I’d run into him again, L.A. being a small place after a while if you’re even peripherally in “the business;” you tend to keep running into certain celebs and/or industry people out and about in West Hollywood and around the studios during TV episode taping season.
The pneumonia he got in the hospital is that terrifying new super-strain pf antibiotic-resistant pneumonia which kills because there’s nothing to cure it with, yet. Plus he was already weakened by his rare congenital ailment, Sarcoidosis, an illness he kept very concealed from all but his family so he wouldn’t get that awful pity-thing from his Hollywood colleagues and from his fans and the public.
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That makes me sad that his wife said “Don’t leave me” to him. He probably felt so sad and unable to protect her like he is used to doing. When my dad passed my mom told him that she knew he was tired and it was okay to let go, and I think that gave him some peace. This is really tearing me up…
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That IS a sweet story snowblood. How lucky you are to have been graced with his presence…
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Thank you, Mollination, and your post got ME all teary again! You’re so right, it must have hurt his heart so badly to be unable to even speak to his dear wife while she’s distraught and begging him “Don’t leave me.” He wasn’t able to speak at all for the past 4 or 5 days before he died, he could only indicate or motion to exopress himself. Oh, GOD that is heartbreaking, that’s too much.
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With all the religions and deafening silence of God, you really believe in God and an afterlife? That we don’t just cease to exist? I’m not trying to be an ass, I’m very serious.
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Well, an ass doesn’t have to try awful hard to be himself. I mean, christ, are you fkn’ kidding me? This is a tribute thread to a beautiful man who just died suddenly and far too young, this is not a thread for theological or philosophical debate, good god man, show some respect.
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well, i think it is time to read your Bible and wake up!! you will get a “rude awakening” if you don’t believe in God and the afterlife. the choice is yours - burn forever or heaven forever!! wake up!!!
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Chavonne, you must have gone to Catholic school or are a Born Again. Number one reason people turn away from organized religion. Snowblood, I wasn’t trying to be an ass or disrespectful, I was reaching out to people on the board because it’s troubling for me. Never mind.
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Chavonne, to hell with you and your “rude awakening” “going to hell” godbothering fantasy bullsh*t. You disgust me. Absolutely repulsive. You’re a shame to humanity.
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“Reaching out to people on this board…” You mean, proseltyzing? Never mind is right.
Bernie Mac was hilarious as the orange-eating security officer in Bad Santa and great as the beleagured uncle/dad on his own show. I’ll miss his talent.
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Thank you everyone.
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How so sad this must be. I swear this man was the “FUNNY” of comedy. It will Never be the same. Bernie you will be missed. I can say one thing, u might have been takin early but u will always be remembered as the funny sexy black man in alot of peoples eyes. May god rest your soul………I’m sure they will love you HEAVEN….keep them laughin Bernie!
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Go easy, Bernie Mac. You will be missed.
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We miss you Bernie Mac “the funny uncle we all shared” even though we did not know him personally. So many people love, respect, admire and now miss him so much. It saddened my heart to hear the tragic news, but after prayer I realized he is in a much better place. We will miss him while we are on earth, but we will see him again at the feet of Jesus-smiling that awesome smile. My thoughts and prayers continue to go out to him, his loving family and the entertainment community. God Bless you all and Rest In Peace Bernie Mac-we love you and miss you!
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bless his soul. at least he was not alone when he passed. there is a place for special people and darn, those other folks there will be laughing hard.
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