Mourning in Hollywood: Donnie and Mark Wahlberg lose their mother
Boston, Massachusetts - She was the mother of nine children, some of which have become famous Hollywood stars: Alma Wahlberg, the mother of stars Donnie and Mark Wahlberg, has died.
The famous brothers confirmed the news via social media on Sunday. The lifelong Bostonian was 78.
"My angel. Rest in peace," Mark Wahlberg (49) wrote via Twitter as he shared a photo of his late mother.
Donnie, his older brother and member of New Kids on The Block, also spoke out.
"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.
Alma Wahlberg appeared in episodes of the family's reality TV show Wahlburgers, which highlighted their family-run restaurant chain.
On Sunday, 51-year-old Donnie remembered his mother's love of life and sunny disposition, which he has carried with him.
"My mother Alma's joy in 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 I am," he shared along with a video compilation on his Instagram.
It has not been made public how the beloved matriarch died, according to the Hollywood Reporter, but Donnie shared in his tribute: "It’s time to rest peacefully."
Alma Wahlberg raised nine kids while working in Boston
Donnie's wife, actor Jenny McCarthy (48) also paid respects on Twitter, dubbing Alma "the world's best mother-in-law" and adding: "You are loved by so many and will be missed dearly. Love you, Alma."
Alma was born in Boston on May 6, 1942 and married Donald E. Wahlberg at the age of 23. They later divorced but she kept his last name.
She raised their nine children in Boston, working throughout her life as a bank teller and a nurse's aide.
"I love my kids," Alma said in an interview with CNN in 2011 about her famous family.
"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," Donnie remembered on Sunday.
He added: "That was Alma – mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, friend, ally, warrior, angel."
Cover photo: IMAGO / Everett Collection