The boy band performed a tribute to Selena, singing her 1994 hit "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" as a photo of Selena was displayed on a screen behind them at Corpus Christi's American Bank Center Arena on May 13.
Selena was born outside of Houston but spent much of her life in Corpus Christi. The city is home to a museum honoring the late Tejano singer.
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Little did the band members know, Selena's siblings Suzette and AB were in the front row.
In an Instagram post after the performance, NKOTB frontman Donnie Wahlberg said time stopped the moment he saw Suzette, who he called an angel, in the front row: "I am so humbled by this moment. So blessed to have been a part of this moment. So overwhelmed to see the love and respect that this amazing family rightfully gets in their hometown!"
Wahlberg posted a photo showing himself hugging Suzette in the crowd and a later photo backstage with both of the Quintanillas.
Suzette Quintanilla called the experience "a moment I'm definitely never gonna forget" in an Instagram post and thanked band member Donnie Wahlberg "for being super sweet and having our hometown sing along to BIDI BIDI BOM BOM."
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Wahlberg followed up Thursday with another Instagram photo showing a box of Selena swag the Quintanilla family had sent to his dressing room ahead of a performance in San Antonio.
Photos posted to social media showed Wahlberg performing that night in a tank honoring Selena as "La Reina," Spanish for "the queen."