Rob Mack and Caitlin Olson are supported by friends. (Image: Getty Images)
Hollywood stars and Wrexham luminaries Caitlin Olson and Rob Mack have received an outpouring of support after Olson announced her father’s death in an emotional social media post. Olson, who is married to McElhenny and has become a familiar face to Wrexham fans through the couple’s involvement with the club, posted a poignant tribute to his father Donald Lee Olson on Instagram.
“Honestly, I feel a little uncomfortable putting this up on social media. It’s too fragile, too private. But I don’t think there’s anything worse than just moving on with life, as if the worst thing in the world had never happened. As if everything important didn’t suddenly end. My father passed away. He was my first love, my first protector, and the person I’ll love forever.”
Furthermore, she added: “He fought so hard and was with us for so long. I hate words right now. There aren’t enough people to describe what kind of person he was.
“The luckiest thing that happened to me in this life was having him as a father. Probably the second was the gift of holding him when I went out. I love you, Dad. I keep all my promises, just like you do.”
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Along with his eulogy, Olson posted a collection of family photos, including a snapshot of him with his father and an image that also included McElhenney.
McElhenny, who is co-owner of Wrexham with Ryan Reynolds, left his own heartfelt message in the comments section.
“Words cannot describe it. There is no one like him. My goal in life is to be half of what he was.
“I’ve never seen a man love someone the way he loved you. I’m so grateful he was alive and so proud to have been his son for the past 17 years.”
Caitlin Olson’s father tragically passed away. (Image: Getty Images)
The post quickly garnered an outpouring of support from fellow actors and close friends.
Actor Dax Shepard wrote, “Don was cool, tall, handsome, and a man’s man who always radiated high-voltage integrity.”
He continued, “So many times when I was around him, I thought, ‘Oh, this is exactly the kind of person I want to be when I get older. This is the kind of father, husband, and person I want to be.'”
Always Sunny actress and co-star Charlie Day’s wife, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, commented: “I love you. What a wonderful man. I’m so grateful to have known him:) He raised me to be such a wonderful, loving and caring woman.”
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Tributes were also poured in from other Always Sunny cast members, including Jimmi Simpson, who wrote, “I love you, dear soul,” David Hornsby, who said his family was “sending love,” and Melanie Lynskey, who added, “Sending so much love.”
Olson, known for his roles in the hugely popular American sitcom It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and crime drama High Potential, speaks warmly of Wrexham in recent years, with the club experiencing impressive growth under McElhenny and Reynolds.
Mr Olson expressed his love for the city and its football club on ITV’s Lorraine show last year, but earlier this month they fell just short of qualifying for the Championship play-offs.
She said: “We love it. We love it there. It’s so much fun and we really fell in love with it, not just the football club of course, but the city as well.”
“We visit as often as we can because the people are so nice.”
McElhenney and Olson met while co-starring in Philadelphia’s It’s Always Sunny and married in 2008. The couple have two sons.
