“He didn’t look good to me and I knew this could be it,” Rhonda told People magazine of her husband Bernie Mac and his admittance to the hospital last month.

Mac passed away on Aug. 9 and as his wife stood by his bed she explains, “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.”

And a turn for the worse it did. Rhonda recalled, “[The doctor] came in and I said, ‘He’s gone, isn’t he?’ and she said ‘yes.’”

Bernie and Rhonda were happily married for 30 years. Mac’s memorial service will be held at noon tomorrow at the House of Hope in Chicago.

Bernie Mac came to Chicago over the weekend and performed at the Ronald McDonald House Charities 23rd Annual Awards of Excellence celebration in Rosemont, Illinois.

Pictured above are the Ronald McDonald House Charities Awards of Excellence honorees, which include Dr. Mark W. Kline, Marlo Thomas and Wayne and Dorothy Stingley, gathered for a photograph with McDonald’s and RMHC executives, as well as Ronald McDonald himself in the flesh. The gala honored individuals that have gone to extraordinary lengths to improve the lives of children in need.

Photo Credit: APPhoto/Aynsley Floyd