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>> BECAUSE OF SONS MARK AND
DONNIE, ALMA WAHLBERG IS A
SOMETIME VISITOR TO HOLLYWOOD
WHERE SHE'S HAD HER SHARE OF
CELEBRITY MOMENTS.
TED REINSTEIN SAID YOU CAN
TAKE THE GIRL OUT OF
DORCHESTER BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE
DORCHESTER OUT OF THE GIRL.
>> Ted: DONNIE, MUSIC AND
SCREAMING FANS.
MARK, MUSIC AND HOLLYWOOD.
AND PAUL, FINE DINING AND GOOD
TIMES AT HIS HINGHAM
RESTAURANT, WAHLBERGERS AND
ALMA NOVE.
>> I CAME AROUND THE CORNER.
I LOOKED AND I WAS LIKE, OH,
MY GOD.
THERE'S MY NAME.
THERE'S MY NAME EVERYWHERE.
IT WAS ON THE AWNINGS AND THE
SIGN.
I WAS LIKE, OH, MY GOD.
I HAD TO PULL OVER.
SAT THERE AND CRIED FOR LIKE
TWO MINUTES.
>> Ted: ALMA WAHLBERG'S HOUSE
IS A SHRINE TO HER NINE
CHILDREN AND 18 GRANDCHILDREN.
WITH A TOUCH OF HOLLYWOOD.
LOOKS VERY FAMILIAR.
>> GEORGE CLOONEY AND MARK'S
MOTHER.
HE SAID, WELL, I MET MARK'S
MOTHER TODAY.
AND HE SAID, AND I'VE DECIDED
I'M GOING TO DATE HER.
I'M GOING TO MARRY HER.
I'M GOING TO BE MARK'S
STEPFATHER.
>> Ted: DESPITE HER BRUSHES
WITH MEGA STARS, ALMA WAHLBERG
MAY NEVER FULLY ADAPT TO
BRIGHT LIGHTS AND PAPARAZZI.
AFTER ALL THE WAHLBERG FAMILY
ALL 11 OF THEM LIVED IN A
THREE-BEDROOM DORCHESTER
APARTMENT.
ALMA WORKED THE NIGHT SHIFT AS
A NURSES' AIDE TO BRING IN
MONEY.
HER HUSBAND DON DROVE A TRUCK.
>> IT WASN'T AN EASY JOB.
I REMEMBER GOING TO GET THE
WELFARE FOOD, THE BUTTER AND
THE CHEESE.
AND DRY MILK.
I USED TO TRY TO CAMOUFLAGE IT
ALL, TRYING TO COME UP WITH
DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAKE STUFF
WITH IT.
BUT THOSE WERE THE BEST
THINGS.
EVERYTHING TO ME WAS LIKE A
CHALLENGE.
WE CAN DO THIS.
WE CAN DO THIS.
>> Ted: THERE WERE PLENTY OF
DARK DAYS.
ALMA AND HER HUSBAND DIVORCED.
AT THE SAME TIME MARK STOPPED
GOING TO SCHOOL AND GOT INTO
TROUBLE.
A LOT OF TROUBLE.
THE FINAL STRAW?
JAIL.
>> I MEAN HE WAS THE BABY.
DONNIE STEPPED IN.
HE SAID I'M GOING TO WORK WITH
YOU.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE MARKY MARK.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT A GROUP
TOGETHER. ARE
SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
BUT THEY REMAIN CLOSE WITH
THEIR MOTHER.
WHAT KIND OF CONTACT DO YOU
HAVE WITH YOUR KIDS?
>> USUALLY I TALK WITH MARK
EVERY SUNDAY.
EVERY SUNDAY.
DONNIE, I COULD TALK TO HIM AT
4:00 IN THE MORNING.
AND THEN NOT HEAR FROM HIM FOR
TWO WEEKS.
AND THEN HE'LL CALL ME...
WHATEVER.
>> Ted: PROOF POSITIVE DURING
OUR INTERVIEW, TWO OF ALMA'S
CHILDREN STOPPED IN AND HER
CELL PHONE AND HOUSE PHONE
RANG CONTINUALLY.
>> THAT'S MY CELL PHONE.
PAUL, TAKE CARE OF THAT.
A CALL FROM MARK'S CELL.
HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?
>> Ted: ALMA HAS HAD MORE THAN
HER SHARE OF HARDSHIP.
EIGHT YEARS AGO HER RESOLVE
WAS TESTED AGAIN.
YOU LOST A DAUGHTER.
>> THE DAY DEBBIE DIED, THAT
WAS... MARK WAS GETTING READY
TO HAVE HIS FIRST CHILD.
OF COURSE HE WAS CRYING.
HE SAID, MOM, I WISHED I COULD
BE THERE WITH YOU.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, MARK, YOU'RE
WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE
WHEN YOUR FIRST DAUGHTER COMES
INTO THE WORLD.
I'M WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO BE
WHEN MY FIRST DAUGHTER LEAVES.
I HAVE A VERY SPECIAL
CONNECTION TO ELLA, MARK'S
DAUGHTER.
>> Ted: THE LOSS OF HER
DAUGHTER SENT ALMA INTO A
DOWNWARD TAILSPIN.
>> I DID GET DEPRESSED.
MY SON MARK SAID TO ME WHY
DON'T YOU COME AND LIVE IN
CALIFORNIA.
WE MADE A PLAN.
AND I DID.
I WAS LONESOME FOR THE REST OF
MY FAMILY.
AND MY FRIENDS.
AND I JUST ONE DAY JUST
CRACKED.
I SAID I HAVE TO GO HOME.
I HAVE TO GO HOME.
>> Ted: THIS TIME IT WAS
ALMA'S SON PAUL WHO HAD A PLAN
FOR HER.
>> HE KEPT SAYING TO ME, I
REALLY THINK YOU SHOULD COME
AND WORK.
PAUL GAVE ME THE GREATEST GIFT
THAT I HAVE HAD IN YEARS.
PAUL BROUGHT ME BACK TO LIFE.
HE REALLY DID.
I LOVE IT THERE.
I LOVE IT THERE.
I'M ME THERE.
I LAUGH.
I TALK.
I MEAN, YOU COULD COME IN AND
SIT DOWN AND I WOULD COME OVER
AND SAY, HOW ARE YOU DOING?
CAN YOU MOVE OVER FOR A
MINUTE?
CAN I HAVE ONE OF YOUR FRIES?
I THINK I AM A LUCKY LUCKY
WOMAN.
IF PAUL GIVES ME A RAISE I'LL
BE EVEN LUCKIER AND HAPPIER.
>> Shayna: I HOPE YOU HEARD
THAT, PAUL.
GIVE YOUR MOM A RAISE.
SO ALMA'S IMPRESSION OF
CALIFORNIA.
THE HOUSES ARE TOO FAR APART.
THERE'S NO WAY TO MEET
NEIGHBORS.
AND NO HIGH FA LUTE INFRIENDS
FOR HER.