Jenny McCarthy and Donnie Wahlberg met after their respective long-term marriages ended. They married and started a close-knit family while they were still head over heels in love with one another. Evan Asher, Wahlberg’s stepson, has autism. Wahlberg takes great pride in his position as a stepfather to Evan, and he continues to encourage and support Evan in his academic and musical endeavors.
Jenny McCarthy began her career as a model, but she has since moved into acting and is now acknowledged as one of the most cherished television personalities. In the movie “Diamonds” scene in 1999, she first encountered her future husband, John Asher.
Things moved quickly between the two; in the same year, they tied the knot, and not long after they were married, they became parents to their first child, a son named Evan.
Jenny McCarthy in Los Angeles in 2019 | Source: Getty Images
McCarthy filed for divorce in 2005 after being married for six years, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the breakup of her marriage. However, in her book “Louder than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism,” she also went into the details that led her to end her marriage.
Epilepsy was the initial diagnosis for Evan McCarthy before a second specialist confirmed his autism diagnosis. Evan’s mother was under the idea that her son had epilepsy.
The actress admitted that she could not believe what the physician had told her, even though she was conscious that it was accurate. And even though it was painful, she was resolved to do anything to help her son.
Jenny McCarthy in New York in 2018 | Source: Getty Images
McCarthy conducted her research and discovered that autism could be treated. This gave her the confidence she required to seek additional help for Evan. She also reiterated that she was unaware of her son’s condition because he was still the sweet boy who loved to give her hugs and kisses and that he had not changed in any way since she had last seen him.
To cleanse his body, she placed her son on a diet that excluded wheat, dairy, and artificial addictive substances. McCarthy said that hope, faith, and recovery were the driving forces that kept her standing as she started on this challenging adventure.
She was also dealing with the end of her marriage at the same time as she was processing Evan’s diagnosis. Still, when it was time for them to divorce, the exes agreed that Asher would move out of the house, and McCarthy continued to pay for her son’s medical bills on her own.
Jenny McCarthy and her son Evan Asher in Chicago in 2013 | Source: Getty Images
At that moment, McCarthy declared that she did not care if she ever got married or found love again as long as Evan progressed in his recovery.
She expressed that the only fantasies she wanted to imagine were Evan being able to say, “I love you, mommy,”
The reality TV star recalled when Asher packed up their son and informed him that he would move to a new house. It was revealed that Evan was upset, and he just stayed there and stared his father down.
Jenny and Donnie’s Love Story
When Donnie Wahlberg, a multi-talented musician and one of the founding members of the legendary New Kids on the Block, first met McCarthy in 2012, he fell in love completely with her. They have been together ever since. But the singer didn’t take her out on a date until a year later when they saw each other again on “The Jenny McCarthy Show.”
Jenny McCarthy, her son Evan Asher, and her husband Donnie Wahlberg in New York in 2014 | Source: Getty Images
McCarthy was equally smitten within a short period, and by 2014, the pair had married. The couple decided that on their seventh wedding anniversary in 2021, they would celebrate the occasion by renewing their wedding vows.
Wahlberg, who is also a father of two boys, Xavier Alexandra, and Elijah Hendrix, from his marriage to Kimberly Fey, which ended in 2010, gushed about how wonderful McCarthy was as a mother and stepmother to his children. Wahlberg’s marriage to Kimberly Fey ended in 2010. He felt blessed to have found a person with whom he could share his life, start a family, and continue to be able to display what love looks like for their children.
Despite the challenges they faced as single parents, Wahlberg is delighted that his children have seen him grow due to the teachings he has taken from his prior relationships and become a stronger husband and father. Now that he is a father of three, the gentleman will pass on his wisdom to his children, which he counts as a blessing.
She announced that she and Wahlberg were engaged on “The View” when McCarthy proposed to Wahlberg. The actress’s enthusiasm was too much to control, and she wanted everyone to know what Wahlberg offered her.
The artist carefully ensured that Evan was a part of his proposal. McCarthy stated that when Evan approached her, she and her husband sat and remembered how pleased they were to be together.
McCarthy had become aware of what was going on when Evan gave her a piece of paper with the term “Will” written on it, strolled away, and then came with another piece of paper with the phrase “You.”
Evan walked in with the final scrap of paper, which featured the word “marry” written on it. Even after learning that he had written the word wrong, his mother found the situation extremely endearing.
Then, Wahlberg walked in a while wearing a shirt that read “Me?” and proposed with a large ring that contained a yellow sapphire and a diamond set in yellow gold. At this time, McCarthy was already in tears, but what got her emotional was when her son exclaimed, “I’m going to have a new daddy!” after she had said yes to the request.
It was one of the most memorable and special moments that the couple experienced as a blended family. It was followed immediately by the wedding, another important event in which Evan played an important role.
Evan got dressed for the big day with help from Wahlberg, and it was an honor for the young boy to walk his mother down the aisle during the ceremony. Evan was overjoyed to be given the responsibility and claimed to his mother, “I have the most important task at the wedding.”
McCarthy and Evan’s relationship has only grown since Wahlberg became a regular presence. The rapper has educated his stepson on some subjects that the actress could not.
Jenny and Evan can always depend on Donnie’s support.
Evan is now a grown man of 20 years old, and although he has the love and support of his stepfather, his father, Asher, has also become more involved in Evan’s life in recent years. Asher admitted that he was not proud of how he handled the diagnosis of his boy and that he wanted to be a better father due to the experience.
While this was going on, McCarthy related how one of the most thoughtful presents she received from her husband during the holidays was related to her son.
The actress, who revealed that she was overwhelmed by the responsibilities of raising a child with special needs, disclosed that Wahlberg’s gift took off one of the many things on her plate; he surprised her by offering to pay for Evan’s college tuition. The actress admitted feeling overwhelmed by the responsibilities of raising a child with special needs.
McCarthy expressed how thankful she was to have a partner who is so loving and encouraging and who also understands the strain that comes with being a single parent. “Thank you, Donnie. It was incredibly delicious, “The performer expressed her gratitude.
McCarthy revealed this info in an episode of the reality program titled “Donnie Loves Jenny,” She also discussed how relieving it was to have her husband do “boy things” with Evan.
She shared that she had told Evan that she does not like to swim or dig holes, so she was pleased that Wahlberg takes him bike riding and does all of the activities that Evan enjoys doing with him. She also shared that she told Evan that she dislikes digging holes.
On one occasion, Wahlberg posted a funny photograph to his social media accounts that depicted him, Evan, and a cutout of the musician Nelly enjoying a meal together. He stated in the letter that his stepson desired to sit at the head table as the honored visitor.
When Mark Wahlberg was a guest on “The Rachel Ray Show,” he discussed the difficult relationships of his blended family. Since his sons are now much older—Xavier is 30 and Elijah is 21—they have begun dating and have been going to McCarthy for guidance on handling the dating world. While this happens, Evan comes to him whenever he is being bullied at school, ensuring that everything is perfectly matched.
Rachel Ray, the presenter of the show, could not stop gushing about how cute the couple was, and she even brought out a cushion with a photograph of their wedding printed on it. During their first holiday season together as a married couple, McCarthy gave it to Wahlberg as a gift.
Wahlberg explained the reasoning behind the thoughtful present. He recalled getting a big box for Christmas; at the time, he assumed it contained something exciting like a new tv. However, he was surprised by how light the box felt and could not determine what was inside.
Upon opening the box, he found cushions with pictures of their children, dogs, family, and friends. As a particular reminder of their wonderful family, he has approximately twenty pillows distributed throughout their home in each space.
During his conversation with Ray, he also disclosed the factors that have contributed to the continued success of his marriage after nearly ten years. He emphasized that parents frequently ignore themselves to give more attention to their careers and children. Still, he encouraged them to prioritize their partnerships in marriage over their roles as parents and to work to strengthen them.
In jest, he used the example of doing something as commonplace as traveling around the neighborhood while talking and kissing to show the value of valuing quality time spent together. According to Wahlberg, the couple needs to continue dating one another even after getting married. This is true even though the couple already has children and a job.
On Evan’s 20th birthday, Wahlberg wished him the best possible day in a birthday tribute he shared online. The viewers of the reality program could not believe how much the boy had grown since they had watched him develop throughout the years.
According to his tweet, the father of three loves to show love to his children and considers the addition of Evan as a gift that he has to thank heaven for. On one of Evan’s birthdays, Wahlberg called him his “ray of sunshine.”
McCarthy was overcome with emotion when her son, who is now 20 years old, graduated from high school. On the other hand, Wahlberg could not have been more proud of his son or more excited for him to move on to the next stage of his life. Naturally, Wahlberg did not overlook the opportunity to express his gratitude to his wife by tweeting about how much he adored McCarthy.
In addition to being an amazing father, Wahlberg is a talented musician with a successful profession. In the 1980s, he started in the entertainment industry by trying out for music producer Maurice Starr.
After hearing Wahlberg perform, Starr was so taken with his talent that he immediately invited him to join the band New Kids on the Block as one of its founding members.
The road to the group’s success was paved with obstacles; the first record they released, entitled “Be My Girl,” was not played anywhere else in the country except in Boston.
It took some time for the second album, “Hangin’ Tough,” to get recognized as well. However, once one single, “Please Don’t Go, Girl,” began to receive more airplay, the album gained more attention. After performing in Boston, it began to play in other towns nationwide and quickly rose to the top 10 on the Billboard charts.
After having a falling out with the band in 1995, Wahlberg got back together with them in 2008 after they changed their name to NKOTB. The newly reformed band has a history of producing songs that have reached number one and are still very popular today.
The actor posted a video of Wahlberg’s performances, expressing his gratitude to NKOTB for appearing on stage with him on his Instagram account. Wahlberg is also known for his roles in the movie “The Sixth Sense” and the television series “Blue Bloods.” He disclosed that they would perform at NRG Stadium on January 12, 2023, for the Rodeo Houston event.
Evan, whom Wahlberg calls his “best grandson ever,” is another person following in his footsteps. He also mentioned that Evan’s first single, “It Doesn’t Matter,” would be released on February 3, 2023, and he provided the artwork for the single.
McCarthy has been one of the most important people in various autism foundations for some years. Over the years, numerous famous people who are parents to autistic children have spoken publicly about the difficult but ultimately rewarding journey of parenting their children. The vulnerability of so many fathers has moved Wahlberg.
McCarthy shared a story about how she had always requested the fathers to stand up at every function, and she did so during one of the events. She shared that hardly any fathers were present at the beginning of these gatherings, but that number has been steadily growing significantly.
McCarthy shared this information to set the stage for asking the question when her husband was in the audience, and she was taken aback to see him seated. Therefore, in front of a large audience, the actress placed Wahlberg in a difficult position by asking him to justify his choice.
It was made clear by Wahlberg that he did not plan to bring any dishonor to his wife in any way; however, after hearing about the efforts that other fathers have put into ensuring the health and happiness of their children, he did not feel that he was worthy to stand amongst them.
On the other hand, he was taken aback by how welcoming everyone was to him in his role as a present stepfather. It was suggested to him that he speak up as a representative and the father of a child with autism.
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