Larry Birkhead is paying tribute to his daughter, Dannielynn, on her 16th birthday.
Birkhead shares Dannielynn with the late model and actor Anna Nicole Smith, who died of an accidental overdose in 2007. At the time of her death, Dannielynn was 5 months old.
“Sixteen years ago my beautiful baby was born. That’s if you want to feel really old. Many people thought the odds were stacked against you, but maybe that was geared more towards me than you,” Birkhead, 49, began an Instagram post on Wednesday.
“Through tragedy, turmoil and a couple of baby tantrums—today you shine bright and are so accomplished. So proud to be your Dad!” Birkhead wrote. “When I told Dannielynn what a great baby she was when she born, she shot back in true Dannielynn style … ‘How do you know you weren’t even there?’ 😂 Ouch. I told her 'maybe not, but I have been there every day since I brought you home.'”
“Mom is looking down!” he added.
In his post, Birkhead included a collage of photos showcasing Dannielynn through the years. In one poignant image, Smith is seen lovingly pressing her face against Dannielynn's.
While speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Birkhead revealed that Dannielynn is celebrating her 16th birthday with a new Shiba Inu puppy named Akira and tickets to a Kiss concert. (The father and daughter duo both love music and recently enjoyed a Janet Jackson concert together!)
Birkhead, a photographer and single parent, is raising Dannielynn outside of the spotlight in Kentucky. Though they keep a low profile, they have a decade-long tradition of attending the Kentucky Derby together.
“I’m not the best dad, I have my faults, but I do the best I can with what the situation is,” Birkhead revealed during an appearance on TODAY in 2016. “We make the best of it, and I think Dannielynn’s best days are still to come. She’s got such a bright future in front of her, and I try every day to keep a little bit of the memory alive of her mom.”
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