The Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg turned 50 on Saturday, and to mark the occasion, he paid tribute to his late mother Alma, who we reported died back in April after a battle with dementia.
Wahlberg first shared a throwback photo of himself and his mother in which he wore a printed long-sleeve button-up shirt, jeans and a New Kids on the Block lanyard.
“Miss you🙏💔🙏,” Wahlberg simply captioned the post.
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In the wake of Wahlberg’s mother’s death, his big sister Tracey stepped up to make sure that he got a special birthday surprise.
“Nothing more important than family. My big sister Tracey made sure that my birthday was special the way my mom always did! I love you so much❤️,” Wahlberg wrote alongside a video of him showing off his decorated lawn, which includes a big sign that read “Happy Birthday.”
“Wow, thank you Tracey for my special birthday. Love you,” Wahlberg could be seen saying in the video.
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Alma was the mother of nine children with her ex-husband Donald Wahlberg: Donnie, Paul, Robert, Jim, Arthur, Tracey, Michelle, Debbie and Mark. Alma and Donald divorced in 1982, and Donald died in 2008.
Just weeks after Alma’s death, Donnie became emotional as he paid tribute to her in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
“It was in my mother and in my father I rationalized the successes of New Kids. Because I did not do anything in my short 18 or 19 years to deserve such success, but they did a lot in their years,” he said. “My mother did so much for so many — things that she would never talk about or brag about — that I really believe that my success was the universe and God’s way of paying her back.”
“I always thought that it had nothing to do with me, that I was just a vessel to reward her for all the good that she brought into the world,” Donnie continued. “I think she showed me and reminded me of that. It brings me tremendous gratitude.”
After Alma’s death, Donnie posted a nearly-two minute video to honor Alma.
“I’m so blessed to have been brought into this world by, raised by, taught by and set on my life’s path by, such an amazing woman,” he said. “My mom Alma’s joy for life, love and people — combined with a pride in her humble beginnings and refusal to forget where she came from — undoubtedly shaped me into the man that I am.”
“I’ve often said, if you like anything about me, I got it from Alma. I say that, because it’s true,” Donnie added. “She was, without a doubt, the most loving human being I’ve ever known.”
He went on to add that Alma “pulled off the impossible” for her children.
“That was Alma — mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, friend, ally, warrior, angel,” he explained. “She made no apologies for who she was, but never put herself above anyone else. She kicked our butts if we messed up, kicked anyone else’s butts if they messed with us. Taught us right, made us pay the price when we were wrong.”
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