Marlon Wayans pays tribute to his late mother, Elvira Wayans

The Wayans family has lost their matriarch.

Elvira Wayans — the mother of 10 children, including entertainers Damon Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans and Keenen Ivory Wayans — has recently died, Marlon announced Thursday. She was 81.

Marlon took to Instagram to pen an emotional tribute to his late mother Thursday on what would’ve been her 82nd birthday, which doubles as his 48th birthday.

“Today i celebrate for the both of (us) In the midst of this hurt,” Marlon captioned a picture with Wayans.

The “White Chicks” actor said losing his mother “shattered me into 1000 pieces,” adding that he’s “putting myself back together piece by piece” through grieving.

“You will always be my glue,” he wrote. “i just love you ma. #missyou i accomplished so much, made you so proud... but now i got angel to lift me.”

USA TODAY reached out to Marlon for comment.

In another Instagram post, Marlon reflected on spending his birthday alone.

“Happy birthday me... i would ask God ‘why me’? Why am i suffering?” he began his lengthy essay. ”I don’t question you through this journey. On the other side of all this tragedy is victory. So i trust you. This is merely a journey to challenge me. You’re not breaking me, you’re making me.”

The comedian continued: “I’m not a victim I’m a hero being challenged to find my greatness. I’m being challenged to find my smile in the worst of times because if i can smile through this then that means my smile is permanent.”

Marlon is the youngest of 10 siblings. The show business family has produced the series “In Living Color,” “The Wayans Bros.,” “My Wife and Kids,” the Scary Movie film franchise and the movie “White Chicks.”

Marlon is set to play Aretha Franklin’s husband-manager Ted White in the upcoming biopic, “Respect.”

Read more at usatoday.com