More than 6,000 gathered at a megachurch on Chicago's South Side today to remember the comedy king who died last weekend at the age of 50.
Mayor Richard Daley recalled that Mac was in the mayor's office recently, asking how he could help fight violent crime in Chicago. Daley said Mac wanted to "help get children away from a life of crime and violence."
Samuel L. Jackson co-stars with Mac in the upcoming movie "Soul Men" and also spoke at the service. He told mourners that Bernie Mac was "always that kid from Chicago who wanted to make everybody happy and everybody laugh."
Isaac Hayes, who died Sunday, also stars in the movie. Hayes' music was played during the service.
Mac died one week ago Saturday at the age of 50 from what his publicist says were complications from pneumonia. He had been at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital since the middle of July.
