The Wayans family has lost their matriarch.
Elvira Wayans— the mother of 10 children, including entertainersDamon Wayans, Marlon Wayans,Shawn Wayans andKeenen Ivory Wayans — has recently died, Marlon announced Thursday. She was 81.
Marlon took toInstagramto 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 withWayans.
The “White Chicks” actor said losing his mother “shattered me into 1000 pieces,” adding that he’s “putting myself back together piece by piece” throughgrieving.
“You will always be my glue,” he wrote. “i just love you ma.#missyoui accomplished so much, made you so proud... but now i got angel to lift me.”
USA TODAY reached out to Marlon for comment.
In anotherInstagrampost, 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 hasproduced the series “In Living Color,” “The Wayans Bros.,” “My Wife and Kids,”theScary Moviefilm franchise and the movie “White Chicks.”
Marlon is set to play Aretha Franklin’s husband-manager Ted White in theupcoming biopic, “Respect.”
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