This Boy Was 2 When His Star Mom Was Left Alone, Learning He's Autistic - Years Later, He Walked Her Down the Aisle

A couple living in a beautiful Chicago home raises their blended family and renews their wedding vows yearly to reaffirm their love. This tradition shows their strong connection, which they immediately felt when they first saw their home and knew it was the right place for them.

Before finding love together, each had their journeys and past relationships that shaped them. The singer met his first wife when he encountered her while on a quest for a Spanish-speaking woman, only to be struck by her beauty.

Their marriage in August 1999 brought forth two sons. After nine years, on August 13, 2008, they parted ways due to irreconcilable differences.

Despite the dissolution of their marriage, they remained on amicable terms, a sentiment echoed by the singer's representative, stating, “The couple has been separated for some time now and remain friends.” His ex-wife sought sole and legal custody of their children, wishing for her ex-husband's visitation rights, spousal support, and attorney's fees.

It took a few years after the divorce before the artist loved deeply again when he met a beautiful actress in 2013. She similarly had her narrative of love and loss. Married in 1999, her union dissolved after six years, partly due to the strains of their son's autism diagnosis. The actress’ recount of feeling alone in her marriage and the lack of shared pursuit for understanding and support marks a poignant chapter in her life.

Her son, born in 2004, was diagnosed with autism two and a half years later, a moment that forever changed her. A subsequent relationship with a comedian brought her support and companionship, especially in caring for her child, yet it too ended, leaving a void. She said:

“I felt very alone in my marriage. [My husband] never sat down and said, 'What did you find out on Google?' There was never that connection of wanting to know and being there.”

"[The comedian] has been through it all with me," she said. "He's so good with [my son]. [He's] opened his heart and the relationship is great." But like all breakup stories, there was a side that the public did not know of, which may have contributed to their split.

The pair announced the end of their relationship on social media, but even with their situation, the young boy continuously looked for the comedian. Sadly, despite many attempts to invite the star to visit, he did not. Some speculated that his depression may have played a role in their breakup, yet the pair confirmed nothing.

Two years later, in 2012, she met a fellow actor during an appearance on "Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen." Although the host asked the actor to ask her out, he did not.

It took a year for the couple to meet again at the woman's show and another two weeks for the television star to ask her out. He said:

“I went a year without dating anybody, so I don't know if I was really randy or really ready, but he was there, and I gave him my phone number.”

An insider confirmed that the pair were happily dating and celebrated that 4th of July together. The pair knew the risks of dating, given their relationship history, but still gave love a chance. "Before I met [him], it was really difficult," she admitted. "Being a single mom is so difficult, and then being a single mom with [a kid] with special needs adds another whole difficulty to the basket."

In April 2014, he proposed, to which she happily gave her "Yes." The actor made it even more special by including her son in the proposal. The child's role was to take out cards that spelled "Will you marry," while he came out in a shirt that said, "Me."

"Of course, I said yes. In that moment, Evan yelled, 'I have another dad!' and it made all of us cry," she proudly said. "I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. He's so wonderful."

In August 2014, the couple tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony outside Chicago. The ceremony was magical, with an altar decorated with thousands of red roses and white candles.

The bride looked stunning in a Di Santo corset gown, while the groom dressed in a black Reiss tuxedo. The couple exchanged wedding bands to seal the deal, with the actress adding a diamond band to her 10-carat sapphire engagement ring.

Then 12 years old, her son played a unique role in the wedding as he walked his mom down the aisle and gave her away to his new stepfather. She narrated:

“He came up to me and said, 'I have the most important job at the wedding,' and I said, 'You do,' and then the time came where he walked in the door in his little tuxedo. Donnie helped him get dressed [...].”

The couple has since renewed their vows every year as a reminder of each others' unconditional love and commitment. "It's so nice to take that moment when you're so busy to remember those words that you say to each other and the vows and the promises," she said. This couple is no other than Donnie Wahlberg and Jenny McCarthy

For the past years, the couple has been living and raising their children in a five-bedroom home located in St. Charles, Illinois. It was the first residence they looked at and instantly fell in love with. McCarthy, who grew up in Chicago, said:

“It resonated like home. Even though the decor wasn't us, I felt an energy telling us this [was] where we're supposed to be.”

The pair liked the quiet neighborhood in the city's suburbs and knew it was the right place to raise their kids. They have since renovated parts of the home, making the style suit their preferences more in black and white tones.

Wahlberg and McCarthy's home includes a piano room with ample space and an eye-catching painting of an angel's wings. It is also decorated with picture frames that remind them of their marriage and beautiful memories.

The room also has an impressive entrance to McCarthy's sewing room, complete with different sewing machines and mannequins. Interestingly, the couple's designer crafted the leather doors with knobs shaped with a "D" and "J," representing the pair's first names.

The couple's kitchen has hints of gold with neutral colors. It features a black dining table, a large center island, and an organized pantry room. McCarthy credits John Wolf for designing every detail of their kitchen.

Another exciting feature of their home is Wahlberg's office, which sits behind two Louis Vuitton custom doors. The room has several framed jerseys, photos, and records. He said:

“This is my whole life and career – there's records and American Music Awards and stuff, but I think that the things that are most important to me are the personal things by our fans.”

The couple also has a small dedicated spot called the "Blondie's Bar," where they store alcoholic beverages to unwind during a long day.

While raising their blended family, Wahlberg deepened his relationship with Evan, describing him as an affectionate type with whom he has a great relationship. "I get all these amazing ways to connect with him that I don't get with my son," he said.

Evan also gets along with his stepbrothers, especially Elijah, who is a year older. According to the songwriter, Elijah has a positive influence on Evan. Meanwhile, McCarthy remains grateful that her husband came into their lives. She said:

“I'm most thankful for his unconditional love, and not only for me though, to my son. Any single mom that knows our story can understand that because I think that's one of our biggest concerns.”

Although happy raising their children, the couple has no plans of adding to their brood. Already in her 50s, McCarthy revealed that she wants to dedicate all her time and energy to her husband and their family while enjoying their later years in life.