Donnie Wahlberg considers himself ‘blessed’ to have raised his autistic stepson as his own. Boy follows in his steps
Jenny McCarthy started out as a model, but now she is an actor and one of the most well-known people on TV. She met her first husband, John Asher, on the set of the 1999 film “Diamonds.”
Things went swiftly for the two; they married the same year and welcomed their first son, Evan, shortly after going down the aisle.
McCarthy filed for divorce in 2005, alleging irreconcilable differences, but she also detailed the events that led to her divorce in her book, “Louder than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism.”
Prior to his diagnosis, physicians assumed McCarthy’s kid had epilepsy, which his mother also believed until another doctor proved Evan had autism.
The actress admitted she couldn’t believe what the doctor said, but she knew it was genuine. Even though it was heartbreaking, she was determined to do everything it took to heal her baby.
McCarthy completed her research and discovered that autism was curable, which gave her the confidence she needed to get Evan the assistance he needed. She also stated that she had no idea about her son’s health because he was still the sweet child who loved to give her hugs and kisses.
To detoxify her son’s body, she placed him on a wheat-free, dairy-free, and artificially addictive-free diet. McCarthy stated that hope, faith, and rehabilitation were the motivating reasons that kept her going on this difficult road.
While dealing with Evan’s disease, she was also struggling with her failing marriage, but when the time came for them to divorce, the former couple decided that Asher would move out while McCarthy continued to pay for her son’s medical expenses on her own.
McCarthy stated at the time that she didn’t care whether she ever married or found love again since she was focused on Evan’s rehabilitation. “The only fantasies I had were of Evan being able to say, ‘I love you, mother,” she said.
The reality star recalled Asher packing his belongings and telling their son that he would be living in another place. Evan, she stated, was unhappy and simply gazed at his father.
Donnie Wahlberg, a multi-talented musician and founding member of the legendary band New Kids on the Block, met McCarthy in 2012 and fell in love with her right away. Nevertheless, when they met again on “The Jenny McCarthy Show” a year later, the singer asked her out.
McCarthy was also instantly captivated, and the two married in 2014. On their seventh wedding anniversary in 2021, the couple chose to reaffirm their vows.
Wahlberg, who has two boys from his marriage to Kimberly Fey, Xavier Alexandra and Elijah Hendrix, which ended in 2010, was enthused about McCarthy as a mother and stepmother. He was delighted to have met a life partner with whom he could develop family traditions and yet show his children what love looks like.
While the pair struggled as single parents, Wahlberg is overjoyed for his children to see him grow from his previous relationships and become the greatest husband and father he can be. Now, the father of three will pass on his knowledge to his children, which he considers a blessing.
McCarthy confirmed her engagement to Wahlberg on the show “The View.” The actress couldn’t contain her enthusiasm and wanted everyone to know how Wahlberg proposed.
Evan was included in the rapper’s proposition. McCarthy stated that she and her husband were sitting together, appreciating how happy they were, when Evan approached her.
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Then Evan handed her a piece of paper with the words “Will,” walked away, then returned with another with the words “You,” and McCarthy realized what w as going on.
Evan entered the room with the last sheet of paper on which he had written: “marry.” His mother admitted that he had misspelled it, but she still thought it was cute.
Then Wahlberg walked in wearing a shirt that said “Me?” and proposed with a large yellow sapphire diamond ring. McCarthy was already in tears at this point, but what made her cry was when her child exclaimed, “I’m going to have a new daddy!” after she said yes.
That was one of the couple’s most memorable and significant moments as a blended family, followed by the wedding, in which Evan also played an important role.
On the big day, Wahlberg assisted Evan in getting ready, and the little boy was honored to lead his mother down the aisle. Evan was so pleased with his performance that he informed his mother, “I have the most important duty during the wedding.”
McCarthy and Evan have become closer since Wahlberg entered their lives. The rapper has taught his stepson many things that the actress was unable to teach.
Evan is now a mature 20-year-old, and while he has his stepfather’s love and support, his father, Asher, has also become more involved in his life. Asher stated that he was not proud of how he handled his son’s illness and that he has vowed to be a better father since then.
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Meanwhile, McCarthy highlighted one of the finest Christmas presents she received from her spouse, which was related to her child.
The actress, who admitted to feeling burdened by the obligations of raising a special-needs child, stated that Wahlberg’s gesture relieved her of one of many burdens: he shocked her by offering to pay for Evan’s college tuition.
McCarthy thanked her husband for being so caring and helpful and for understanding how hard it is to be a single mother. “Thank you so much, Donnie. It was quite lovely,” the actress admitted.
McCarthy also said on one episode of the reality program “Donnie Loves Jenny” how relieving it was to have her husband perform “male things” with Evan.
She revealed that she told Evan she doesn’t like to swim or dig holes, so she was relieved when Wahlberg took him biking and participated in all of Evan’s favorite hobbies with him.
Wahlberg once tweeted a humorous photo of him and a happy Evan eating supper with a cutout of musician Nelly. He requested that his stepson be a special visitor at the dinner table.
On “The Rachel Ray Show,” Wahlberg discussed the dynamics of his mixed family. Now that his boys are considerably older—Xavier is 30 and Elijah is 21—they’ve begun dating and seeking counsel from McCarthy. Meanwhile, Evan seeks him out whenever he is subjected to bullying at school, which wonderfully balances everything.
Rachel Ray, the show’s host, couldn’t stop raving about how cute the couple was and pulled out a pillow with their wedding picture printed on it. McCarthy gave it to Wahlberg during their first Christmas together.
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Wahlberg explained the significance of the delicious present. He recalled receiving a large package for Christmas, which he assumed would contain something cooler, such as a television, but he couldn’t figure out what it was based on how light it felt.
As he opened the package, he saw pillows with photos of their children, pets, relatives, and friends. He now has roughly 20 pillows in every room of their home as personal keepsakes of their lovely family.
During his conversation with Ray, he also discussed what has kept his marriage going for over a decade. He underlined that parents sometimes lose sight of themselves and focus on their jobs and children, but he recommended that they prioritize and nurture their marriages above their children.
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He playfully used the example of driving around the neighborhood to speak and kiss for the sake of spending quality time together. As vital as employment and children are, Wahlberg stressed the need to continue to date each other as a married couple.
On Evan’s 20th birthday, Wahlberg wrote a birthday message and wished him the greatest day ever. Viewers couldn’t believe how mature the youngster had become after seeing him grow up on their reality program.
The father of three enjoys showing his children affection; he tweeted, “I have two wonderful boys.” “Being gifted with a third child, Evan, is a blessing for which I am grateful. Wahlberg referred to Evan as his “beam of sunshine” on another of his birthdays.
McCarthy was tearful as her son graduated from high school, and Wahlberg couldn’t have been more proud and thrilled for him to go on a new chapter in his life. Naturally, Wahlberg could not fail to thank his wife, tweeting how much he adored McCarthy.
Wahlberg has a tremendous music career in addition to being an excellent parent. He rose to prominence in the 1980s after auditioning for music producer Maurice Starr.
Starr liked Wahlberg’s talent, so he quickly made him one of the first members of the band New Kids on the Block.
When my wife cries #tearsofjoy and pride after dropping Evan on his #firstday of #highschool! So proud of you both! #AnythingIsPossible
❤️🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/NUPrl5nDNt— Donnie Wahlberg (@DonnieWahlberg) August 23, 2017
The road to the group’s popularity was bumpy; their debut record, “Be My Girl,” was not heard outside of Boston.
The second album, “Hangin’ Tough,” took some time to gain traction before one hit, “Please Don’t Go, Girl,” began to garner more radio attention. It went from playing in Boston to nationwide and peaked at number ten on the Billboard charts.
Wahlberg left the band in 1995 but returned when they renamed themselves NKOTB in 2008. The reunited group proceeded to have number-one singles and is still popular today.
Wahlberg, who was also in “The Sixth Sense” and “Blue Bloods,” posted a video of one of his performances on Instagram and thanked NKOTB for being there. He confirmed that they would perform at NRG Stadium on January 12, 2023, for Rodeo Houston.
Evan, Mark Wahlberg’s “best stepson ever,” is likewise following in his father’s footsteps. He revealed the artwork for Evan’s debut song, “It Doesn’t Matter,” and said it will be released on February 3, 2023.
For many years, McCarthy has been at the forefront of numerous autism foundations. The sensitivity of so many fathers affected Wahlberg as a result of several celebrities with autistic children recounting their challenging but rewarding experience of parenting their children over the years.
McCarthy told a story about how she always asked the dads to stand at every event at one of the parties. She said that at first, almost no dads came to the sessions, but that the number grew by a huge amount every year.
McCarthy claimed this to explain why she asked the question while her husband was in the crowd, and she was astonished to see him sit down. Therefore, in front of a big crowd, the actress put Wahlberg in the position and asked him to justify his decision.
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Wahlberg explained that he did not intend to shame his wife in any way, but after hearing how much effort other dads put into their children’s well-being, he did not feel worthy to stand among them.
He was, however, surprised by how welcoming everyone was of him as a present stepfather. He was urged to step up as a spokesman and parent of an autistic child in the future.
