Fans of Donnie Wahlberg know Lumpy, his beloved French Bulldog, who popped up often on social media, and anywhere his owner was. Wahlberg just recently announced that Lumpy, who was 12, died and was laid to rest on May 18. The pup whose full name was Francis Frederico Von Lump, was loved by many and lived a full and exciting life by his owner’s side.
A Beautiful Tribute to his Sidekick and Best Pal
The “New Kids on the Block” singer, 52, shared the news on his Instagram page with a video highlighting Lumpy’s life that he captioned, “So many of you asked me about my constant sidekick, Lumpy, during the Mix Tape Tour. His usual playful presence, by my side, was clearly missed by all. Night after night, I was asked. Night after night, I uncomfortably avoided the conversation. I did so in order to allow our time together at meet & greet (and at the concerts) to be a time of joy, happiness and love. Three things that we all needed so desperately after the last few years of sadness, heartache, and struggle.” He went on to say, “So it is with great difficulty that I inform you all now, that on May 18th (on one of the rare days off during the tour) my beloved dog Lumpy, was laid to rest.”
View this post on Instagram
The caption went on to say, “I know how much Lumpy meant to so many of you. He had become a special member of our Blockhead family. He was also a very special and beloved member of my family. His loss was a devastating blow to us all. Especially to me and my son Elijah.” He further explained how his son convinced him that he needed a dog to keep him company during his time away from home, and that Lumpy was always by his side. “Lumpy has been by my side – on set, on tour, on planes, trains, boats and automobiles. Even on snowplows!” he said. “To some, Lumpy was a tv star, a rock star and a source of joy. For me – he was all that and more. He was my best buddy.”
Celebrating his Memory and Encouraging Others to do the Same
The “Blue Bloods” actor continued with his heartfelt tribute to his best bud with, “As someone who always tries to find gratitude, even in the most heartbreaking of times, this situation is no different for me. So today, despite the many tears shed while writing this, my broken heart is replaced by a thankful heart. A heart filled with gratitude and love for having been blessed with the best friend a guy could ever ask for. I don’t mourn Lumpy today – instead, I celebrate his memory. I invite you to do the same.”
Lots of Love and Support from Everyone
The post generated nearly 10,000 comments filled with love, red hearts, prayer hand emojis, and tons of support. Some even shared their memories of the pup.
“I remember hanging out with Lumpy before one of the shows in 2019 and he was crying and I remember saying to someone, may have been Victor, why is he crying? And he was like well he gets so much attention and there’s always people with him but all he ever wants is his dad. I also lost several water bottles to that little dude’s teeth. He was the best!”
“I have such a vivid memory of lumpy ‘taking apart’ a water bottle, methodically. He was a special dude.”
“What a ball of joy he was! I’ll always remember how he charmed the entire crew during our shoot – especially as he gleefully chased balls on the putting green. Rest easy, little guy.”
Fellow NKOTB member Jonathan Knight posted, “What a beautiful tribute to him…and what a beautiful life he lived next to his amazing Dad!” Based on a photo on Wahlberg’s Instagram page, Lumpy felt the same way about Knight.
The kind words, condolences and support were seen on Twitter as well. #RIPLumpy trended on the platform for a while on Wednesday after Wahlberg’s announcement. One thing’s for sure, Lumpy has definitely made his mark on this world and will never be forgotten.
