Tamera Mowry-Housley is sharing a new tribute to her late 18-year-old niece Alaina Housley, who was tragically shot dead in November during the mass shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California. The Real co-host posted a heartbreaking message for the teenager on her Instagram account on May 7, sharing a picture of Alaina while telling her followers that she’s still dealing with the pain of losing her.
The photo of the late teenager showed her smiling for the camera in a black dress with a white necklace around her neck.
“Missing you every day. I often do a double take at women that remind me of you! The pain of how you were taken from us comes back,” the Sister, Sister star said in the caption of the beautiful photo.
“I randomly envision hearing your voice and holding Aden and Ariah’s hands like you did,” she then continued, referring to her two children. “I wish you were here to see my children grow, and for us to see the woman you were to become.”
Tamera, who is the twin sister of Tia Mowry-Hardrict, then added, “I’ll have to accept we have a warrior of an angel watching over us now. Love you,” before finishing up her message by adding the hashtags “AlainasVoice” and “MyAngel.”
Alaina is the biological niece of Mowry-Housley’s husband Adam Housley, who she married back in 2011.
Tamera sadly confirmed that the 18-year-old was one of the 12 people who lost their lives in the shooting after initially putting out a plea on social media for anyone who knew about her whereabouts to come forward on social media.
Mowry-Housley – who shares 6-year-old son Aden and 3-year-old Ariah with husband Adam – confirmed the devastating news on Instagram while posting a number of photos of Housley, who was a freshman at Pepperdine University.
In the post, the actress revealed that she’d known Alaina since she was just 5-years-old.
“I was blessed to know you ever since you were 5. You stole my heart,” Tamera said, as she shared some personal memories she shared with the teenager before her heartbreaking death.
“I’m still in disbelief. It’s not fair how you were taken…You are gonna make one gorgeous angel,” she then continued in her Instagram post, per USA Today .
Adam also paid tribute to his niece on the social media site shortly after learning of her death back in November.
“Oh how I miss you. Oh how I miss u,” he wrote on his account, adding the hashtag “heartbroken.”
Tamera took several days away from her gig co-hosting The Real alongside Adrienne Bailon, Loni Love, and Jeannie Mai following the sad news in order to grieve and spend time with her family.
As The Inquisitr reported at the time, she then made a very tearful return to the show where she delivered an extremely emotional message about her niece’s passing while also vowing to take a stand against gun violence.
