How Did Bernie Mac Die? Remembering the Comedian’s Final Days and Unexpected Death at 50

Bernie Mac was just 50 when he died in August 2008 in his hometown of Chicago

When Bernie Mac (né Bernard Jeffery McCullough) was nearing the end of his life, his wife, Rhonda McCullough, and daughter, Je'Niece McCullough, were with him during those difficult final moments.

"[Bernie] 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,' " the late comic's sister-in-law Mary Ann Grossett told PEOPLE at the time in a personal and touching interview.

She added: "He shrugged his shoulders, and she said that's when she knew he was tired. He signaled to her that his body was tired."

The Kings of Comedy star, then 50, had reportedly been hospitalized for weeks leading up to the last day of his life on Aug. 9, 2008.

From the circumstances surrounding how he died to his family's reaction, here's everything to know about Bernie Mac's death.

How did Bernie Mac die?

The stand-up legend died from complications due to pneumonia at a Chicago-area hospital, where he'd reportedly been hospitalized for weeks before his death.

Grossett told PEOPLE his inflammatory lung disease contributed to his death.

"He had sarcoidosis, but it was in remission," she said. "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."

When did Bernie Mac die?

Mac died at 2 a.m. on Aug. 9, 2008, at age 50.

Speaking of a heartbreaking moment between her younger sister, Rhonda, and the veteran comedian, Grossett said the night before her brother-in-law's death, "He struggled for his life. He couldn't breathe."

Rhonda, Mac's wife since 1977, and their daughter, Je'Niece, were with him during his last moments.

"[The doctors] were working on him," Grossett told PEOPLE. "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."

Before that, the couple had last communicated on July 31.

"He told his wife [nonverbally] that he could breathe on his own, and he wanted the ventilator out. He motioned that he wanted it out," Grossett said.

Where did Bernie Mac die?

Mac — who starred on his eponymous sitcom and in films such as The Players Club (1998), Ocean's Eleven (2001), Bad Santa (2003), Guess Who (2005) and Soul Men (2008) — died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in his hometown of Chicago on Aug. 9, 2008.

Grossett told PEOPLE that Mac — having trouble breathing and running a fever — was actually hospitalized on July 24, eight days before the date given for his admittance, Aug. 1. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and immediately placed on a ventilator.

On Aug. 7, the funnyman's spokesperson released the following statement: "Bernie Mac is in stable condition in a Chicago-area hospital. He is responding well to treatment and hopes to be released in the next few weeks. His family thanks everyone for the well wishes and concern."

During his hospitalization, Grossett said Mac was "critically ill" and "in intensive care the whole time." She added that the doctors kept the star sedated, and though he was conscious at times, he'd contracted a second strain of pneumonia while receiving care.

How did Bernie Mac's family react to his death?

Of her widowed sibling, who was the same age as Mac when he died, Grossett told PEOPLE: "She's devastated. However, she's at peace about his transition because of her faith in God. Her faith is what is sustaining her."

"They had 30 years of marriage," Grossett said of the couple's enduring union. That's unprecedented in today's time, particularly for celebrities. That brings joy to her. They loved each other and respected each other on a daily basis. She was by his side to the very end."

Recalling the couple's early years, when they were still in their teens, "When they started dating, he said, 'Girl, you better come on board this train because I'm going to be rich.' And her response was, 'Okay,' and they were married," Grossett said. "That's how he charmed her: with his sense of humor."

She added, "When they got married, they were kids. He was 20, and she was 19. They both grew up together, and they both matured in this marriage. What she will treasure the most is the fact that she was his wife for 30 years — and not only was she his wife, but she was his best friend. She's going to miss him dearly."

Mac's funeral service was held on Aug. 16, 2008, at an undisclosed location.

Nearly eight years after Mac's death, in March 2016, Rhonda gave an emotional interview on Oprah: Where Are They Now?, where she recalled her last words to her husband.

"I said, 'Please don't, please don't die,' " Rhonda recalled, remembering visiting Mac's hospital room after he was rushed to the emergency room for labored breathing. "I said, 'I'm here. I'm waiting for you. I'll take care of you. Just don't die.' "

"What am I going to do?" she remembered thinking. "That was my whole life, was him since I was 16, and I just didn't know what I was going to do. It's like, 'What is my reasoning for being here now? What is my purpose?' "

Je'Niece has actively made honoring her father's legacy part of her work as the host of Bernie's Daughter Podcast, which she launched on Oct. 5, 2023, on what would've been Mac's 66th birthday.

"You told me to stop wishing you Happy Birthday, so I won't do that today. Because according to you, you don't have birthdays anymore," Je'Niece wrote on Instagram. "I get and respect that, but today is a birthday of sorts cause I'm launching this podcast that you've guided me to do. You told me you would never leave me, and you've kept your promise. I hope you like it. I hope I'm making you proud. I miss you, but I love you so much more. Here's to us Daddy!"

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