LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB ) -- A public Celebration of Eternal Life will be held Saturday to honor Junior Bridgeman.

The service will be held at 11 a.m. at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville.

Ulysses Lee Bridgeman, 71, was born in East Chicago, Indiana, and starred for Denny Crum at Louisville, where he was the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in 1974-75.

Bridgeman collapsed at a luncheon for the Lincoln Heritage Council of the Boy Scouts of America, according to sources with direct knowledge of the incident. The Al J. Schneider Company, which owns the hotel, confirmed the news in a statement.

His oldest son, Justin, told WDRB News that he had last spoken with his father the night before the event about what he was planning to say. More than a week removed from Bridgeman's passing, his son is still processing.

"It was just that feeling of shock and loss, thinking of how the morning went to where we were some 12+ hours later," he said. "Just didn't think it was real.

"...There's so many, so many people here in the community, so many folks who were friends, loved ones, who were in town, showing support. So there's never been a moment where you felt alone. So on one hand, that's great. On the other hand, there's still, I think, a part of me that hasn't really processed everything."

In the days and time that have passed since, the Bridgeman family has been the recipient of an outpouring of love and support. Those feelings will be on center stage this weekend as masses plan to gather at Southeast Christian Church to honor his life and the legacy he leaves behind.

"It's a celebration of his life, his commitment to community, his commitment to God, his commitment to things that made his legacy what it is," Bridgeman's son Justin said.

Bridgeman scored 1,348 points in three seasons with the Cardinals as the program won 72 of 89 games. He led the team to the 1975 Final Four, where they lost a close game to UCLA in overtime in San Diego, California. With a victory, U of L would have played UK for the championship.

The Lakers selected Bridgeman with the No. 8 pick in the 1975 draft and included him in the four-player package they traded to Milwaukee for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Over a dozen seasons, he scored 11,517 points, crediting the coaching he received from Crum and his staff for his successful career.

Bridgeman played for the Bucks from 1975-84 and then spent two years with the Los Angeles Clippers before coming back to Milwaukee for his final NBA season in 1986-87. He ranks seventh in Bucks history in field goals made (4,142), ninth in points (9,892) and 10th in minutes (18,054).

Bridgeman's 711 career games played for Milwaukee ranks him third in franchise history, behind only current Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. His No. 2 jersey was retired by the Bucks in 1988.

After his playing career, Bridgeman began investing in restaurants and eventually became owner and CEO of Bridgeman Foods, which operated more than 450 Wendy's and Chili's restaurants in 20 states until 2016. He also has been an independent bottler for Coca-Cola. His family owns Ebony and Jet magazines.

"There is some comfort in knowing how loved and admired and how many people he inspired," Justin said. "He brought out the best in all of us, and he inspired us to be the best versions of ourselves."

Bridgeman is often described as a man who always smiled and never hesitated to help others. That's the legacy he's left behind in a city he loved.

"Servant leader attitude," Justin said thinking about his dad's life. "That would describe my dad."

In lieu of flowers, it's asked to honor his memory by supporting West End School in Louisville. Donations can be made online.

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