It was truly a heavy day on my heart as the longtime afternoon host on 790 WTSK and Tuscaloosa radio legend Eddie Mack passed away.

Mack, or as some call him Mack the Bear, has been a fixture on the Tuscaloosa radio dial for decades. I've known him for 14 years, and as a staple on 790 WTSK. This guy was always in a good mood with a big smile on his face. Did anything ever bother him? Wait, yes, but that usually turned into punch lines and laughs. One jolly guy who had a way of lighting up a room.

That fun spirit could be found in everything he did. I found out about his personality very quickly at a concert. It was 2002, I just moved to Tuscaloosa, and our group of radio stations had the opportunity to get on the stage to introduce Kool & The Gang at CityFest. We went up there cutting up with the crowd, yelling Roll Tide, and handed it over to the band. That should be it, right? Oh no, Eddie Mack didn't leave the stage like the rest of us. There he was dancing front and center, like he was in the group! The other guys in the band are looking at each other confused with a look of, what's happening here? We're off to the side yelling, get off the stage Mack! It was a couple of minutes before he did get out of the way. We laughed, and laughed that night.

The memories. It will be strange not seeing him behind the grill cooking hot dogs and hamburgers before a company picnic, or saying the blessing before a meal, or out dressing all of the guys at the Christmas party. Mack always had a big persona presence.

The biggest void I will struggle to get past, parades. Mack loved driving in parades, really loved it. One year we didn't enter the WTSK vehicle and lined up somebody else to drive WTUG. Oh, you'd think somebody made fun of his momma. I knew from that point on, Mack loves driving in parade, he looks forward to it! After that one time, he would always come asking weeks to months in advance about the next parade, making it known he wants to drive. I'll miss the king of parades!

Here, take a look at this parade photo. You can see it, Mack loved parades.

I'm grateful to have known such a good man.