Mark Wahlberg is paying tribute to his daughter Ella on her 18th birthday, while also honoring his late sister Debbie, who passed away at 43 on the very same day Ella was born in 2003.
On Thursday, the actor took to Instagram and shared two throwback photos, beginning with an image of himself holding up Ella, the oldest of his four children, when she was a toddler.
'Happy B day my Ella 18 years old,' he began in the caption, along with a red heart and gift and bow emojis.
'Wow how time flies. So proud of you !!'
Bitter sweet: Mark Wahlberg, 50, paid tribute to his oldest child, Ella on her 18th birthday, which also happens to fall on the day his late sister, Debbie passed away in 2003
The Daddy's Home star could be seen wrapping his arms around his beloved sister in the second photo, which appears to have been taken in the late 1980s or early 90s.
'Always A bitter Sweet day. Missing my big sister Debbie. Ella's Guardian angel,' he added, along with prayer and red heart emojis.'
Debbie Wahlberg died 17 years ago to the day after suffering a sudden heart attack and septic shock while being treated to get kidney stones removed, according to numerous publications, including Entertainment Tonight.
'My mom really went into a big, deep depression after my sister passed away,' Mark revealed in July 2019.
'It was the same day my daughter [Ella] was born,'
