Mark and Donnie Wahlberg are mourning the loss of their mother Alma Wahlberg. She was 78.
No further details about her death has been released by the family.
“My angel. Rest in peace,” Mark, the youngest of nine children, posted to Instagram on Sunday morning.
Donnie, who often kept her fans abreast of her health after a dementia diagnosis, also remembered her in a post on social media.
He shared a video featuring moments from the fun they shared through the years including their mother-son dance at his 2014 wedding to Jenny McCarthy. The boybander and actor surprised Alma with a special performance from Regina Belle, who serenaded Alma with one of her favorites songs, “If I Could.”
“For 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 captioned the montage. “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.”
Alma stepped into the spotlight herself appearing regularly on the A&E reality series Wahlburgers, following her son Paul’s venture with his famous siblings into casual dining that ran for 10 seasons ending in 2019.
Prior to the opening of the first Wahlburgers restaurant, the trio opened a fine-dining Italian restaurant they named Alma Nove as a tribute to the family matriarch that remains open today.
Back in July, Donnie updated fans after a visit with his mom after being bombarded with questions about her health.
“I know that so many of you have asked how my mom Alma is doing,” he said. “During my visit, she didn’t remember much, and was often confused, but somehow she was still Alma. She still lights up a room. She still made me smile. She’s still stubborn. And she still loves her baby Donnie.”
McCarthy added her own dedication on the photo sharing site, writing: “To my sweet Alma. I could not have asked for a better mother-in-law. Always kind, always made me feel loved and she will always be an inspiration to so many.. Love you so much Alma.”
Alma reflected on her life as a mother and the challenges she faced which improved after Donnie hit it big as part of the hit ’90s boyband New Kids on the Block.
“When I think about it, I had nine children, three girls, and six boys, and they gave me a run for my money,” she told TODAY in 2019. “What it took to survive — I mean, I had to get welfare food for God’s sake. So it was really tough.”
Mark and Donnie’s father died of unknown causes in 2008 and their sister Debbie died from a heart attack and septic shock in 2003.
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