AUBURN | Near the end of a both uplifting and heartbreaking memorial, Andy Burcham lamented that he never told Rod and Paula Bramblett, two of his dearest friends, that he loved them.

But he told them both just that Thursday afternoon as he spoke in front of their caskets, their families and thousands from the Auburn community that came out to honor the Voice of the Auburn Tigers and his loving wife, who lost their lives in a tragic accident Saturday.

“I think they knew this, but I never uttered those word: I love you. I ask you ... tell someone close to you today ... I love you. Don't wait to do this. Rod and Paula, I love you,” Burcham said.

It was clear from the stories told by Burcham, Paula’s coworker Barbara Helms and her friend Debbie Wood, by former coach and basketball analyst Sonny Smith and basketball coach Bruce Pearl that Rod and Paula had touched so many lives.

Wood shared how much Paula enjoyed being around Coach Pearl because he called her Paula and not Rod’s wife. Sonny joked about their mutual disdain for a certain basketball referee. Pearl talked about how Rod loved his job but lamented missing so much time with his family on the road.

Andy even joked about spending more nights in a hotel room with Rod than Rod spent with Paula.

Stan White, the former Auburn quarterback, who sat next to Rod in the radio booth for the last 16 years as his football analyst, spoke to the media about the loss of his dear friend.

"Today is a tough day and the last five days have been a tough day for the Auburn family, for really the nation as far as broadcasting goes. We just lost a great Auburn family and family in general in Paula and Rod Bramblett. We were not just a broadcasting crew of colleagues, we were brothers and sisters. And we looked at it that way. We were family,” White said.

“For Rod and I personally for the last 16 years, 208 straight games, we broadcasted together. He was just the most kind, decent, professional and fantastic broadcaster. He nailed it every time he went out there. We lost our anchor, we lost our rock. He will be missed.”

The memorial ended with some touching words from Dr. George Mathison and then came Rod’s iconic call of the 2013 Kick Six. There was complete silence in the Arena as Rod described so eloquently one of the greatest plays in college football history.

And then Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer was played — Paula’s favorite group — as the caskets bearing Rod and Paula were escorted outside toward their final resting place.

Walking just behind them were their two children, Shelby with her arm gripped tightly around younger brother Joshua.

Take my hand, we’ll make it I swear…