She lived with alcoholism and abuse, struggled with poverty and experienced great wealth,
lost so many that she’s loved. Struggling to raise nine children, Alma Wahlberg watched
them suffer, learn and come out on the other side, losing and finding herself, again and
again, and kept moving forward, no matter what. The Wahlberg family has been left shaken
after the death of their beloved matriarch.
Probably the most famous and notorious of the family, Mark Wahlberg opened up about
his mom’s death via Instagram being brief yet heart-wrenching, “My angel. Rest in
peace.” His beloved mother sadly passed away at the age of 78.
Only several years ago, during an interview with Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan, Wahlberg
said that he was not exactly the favorite back at home, elaborating that he didn’t
have the closest relationship with his mom. The father of four also added that it had
always been that way but didn’t go into details at the time, appearing uneasy about
the situation. In response, Ripa pointed out that there could be a simple explanation.
“The mother always likes the one who’s doing least well the most,” she explained.
Wahlberg replied: “Oh, that’s it, I gotta do that.” We can only guess what he meant
by that. Now, however, looking at the way he grieves,
we can assume they patched things up. Hopefully, they were able to spend her last moments as
a family. Alma was the mother of nine, including Mark
and Donnie — and brothers Paul, Robert, Jim, and Arthur and sisters Tracey, Michelle,
and Debbie — whom she shared with her late ex-husband Donald Wahlberg. The father of
the family died of unknown causes in 2008, and the daughter, Debbie, passed away from
a heart attack and septic shock during a procedure to treat a suspected kidney stone in 2003.
Shockingly, she died the day Mark’s daughter was born. He describes it as the best and
worst day of his life. How devastating it must have been for
the actor. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight,
Mark said that his sister’s death was a shock to the entire family, especially his
mother. “It was completely devastating. My mom fell into a big, deep depression after
my sister passed away... no parent should have to lose a child.” Devastated by the
loss of her daughter, Alma had a vast supporting system. Mark said that the family-owned restaurant
and show helped her cope with her grief since it kept her busy. Fortunately, Alma went on
to live good 17 years after the tragic loss. As we found out from Donnie nearly a year
ago, their mother previously battled health issues, specifically dementia. He often kept
fans in the loop concerning her health, writing that she “didn’t remember much and was
often confused, but somehow she was still Alma.” Heartbreaking, isn’t it?
He also added back then, “Sending my heartfelt love, and sincerest wishes, to all those away
from their loved ones.” He probably meant it both literally and figuratively, as his
mom was so close and so far away at the same time, sadly forgetting and being confused
about the world around her. The Blue Bloods star shared a longer tribute
via Instagram in addition to a heartfelt video montage of his mom with her family through
the years, including their mother-son dance at his wedding to one of her favorite songs,
“If I Could” by Regina Belle. He wrote that she danced to that song at each of her
children’s weddings, but at his own, he surprised her by having Belle there to perform
it live. How kind and thoughtful that was of him?
New Kids on the Block singer said she was the “epitome of the word grace.” Donnie
also revealed how she inspired him to shoot for the stars as a child, saying, quote, “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.” Jenny McCarthy , Donnie’s wife, posted her
dedication, saying that she couldn’t have asked for a better mother-in-law and that
Alma was always kind, always made her feel loved. “She will always be an inspiration
to so many,” Jenny wrote on Instagram. More than a few of her children went on to
great successes and fame. We’re pretty familiar with Mark and Donnie, following their acting
and music careers, but they’re not the only ones close to their mom’s heart. Paul Wahlberg,
the celebrity chef behind Wahlburgers, named his restaurant Alma Nove as a tribute to the
family matriarch back in 2010. The restaurant remains open today.
In 2018, Alma Wahlberg reflected on her life as a mother and the challenges she faced early
on. “What it took to survive — I mean, I had to get welfare food for God’s sake.
So, it was really tough,” she said. English muffin pizzas were among her creations to
feed her hungry nine. “People know me as being the mother of famous
children, and although this fact has brought many gifts into my life, there is a lot more
to my story than most people know,” Alma Wahlberg said in an interview three years
ago. Such an incredible journey of 78 years, filled
with love and hardships. Our condolences to the Wahlberg family and everyone who’s lost
a loved one. We’re all in this together. Be well, and don’t forget to subscribe and
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