Mark and Donnie Wahlberg mourn mother Alma, who has died at age 78
The Wahlberg family is honoring their beloved mother Alma Wahlberg, who has died at age 78.
According to People, the Wahlberg matriarch suffered from dementia.
On Sunday, Mark Wahlberg, 49, took to social media to announce his mother's death.
"My angel. Rest in peace," he wrote on Twitter and Instagram, along with a photograph of his mother smiling for the camera.
Donnie Wahlberg, 51, went into detail in a passionate post honoring his mom, calling her "the epitome of the word grace."
On his Instagram page, he posted a video montage of Alma throughout the years, showing the loving mother dancing with her family and operating their popular restaurants.
"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. 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," wrote Wahlberg.
He continued on, drawing from his mother's humble roots and her role as a "mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, friend, ally, warrior, angel."
"I’ve often said, if you like anything about me, I got it from Alma. I say that, because it’s true. She was, without a doubt, the most loving human being I’ve ever known. I never heard her say, or do, anything disrespectful to anyone. She was, as anybody who ever came across her knows, true blue. Like so many moms who struggled, overcame odds, made something from nothing and pulled off the impossible for their children, she never complained," he wrote. "She did what needed to be done, most often, with a smile. She made the best of times in the worst of times. That was Alma."
Wahlberg continued, drawing upon memories of singing in their childhood kitchen to his mom's favorite songs and dancing with her at his 2014 wedding to Jenny McCarthy.
"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," he wrote. "She was the epitome of the word grace. As a young boy, she’d invite me to sing her favorite song with her ('Native New Yorker' by Odyssey) as she cleaned our home. There’s no doubt that the two of us singing into a mop stick, while disco dancing on our 'sparkling' linoleum floor, helped inspire the dreamer in me — just like the dreamer in her. Her other favorite song, 'If I Could' by Regina Belle, is the song that she danced with each of her children to, at their weddings. I surprised her at mine by having Ms. Belle sing it to her. I did so because, despite the fact that my mom could do (and actually did) many of the things mentioned in that beautiful song, she still wondered if she’d done the job of being the best mother she could be."
He closed out his passionate statement by saying "today, I say with tremendous certainty, and gratitude, she absolutely did. It’s time to rest peacefully, mom. I love you, miss you, thank you and will celebrate you, today and always. Forever — your Baby Donnie #RIPAlma."
On Twitter, Wahlberg declared "she was always an angel. Now she has her wings."
She was always an angel.
Now she has her wings.
Rest peacefully Alma.
As Always, your Baby Donnie#RIPAlma ?????????? https://t.co/qrR7foxSM8 pic.twitter.com/IICsPPwHlp— Donnie Wahlberg (@DonnieWahlberg) April 18, 2021
In addition to Mark and Donnie, Alma Wahlberg was the mother of seven other children. She was a fixture on the A&E reality series Wahlburgers along with her sons. Chef Paul Wahlberg's popular restaurant in Hingham, Mass., Alma Nove, was named after his mother and her nine ("nove" in Italian) children.
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