Anna Nicole Smith's lookalike daughter Dannielyn turns 17: Larry Birkhead says mom 'would be so proud'

LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA:  Dannielynn's father, Larry Birkhead, posted a loving birthday message for her on Instagram in honor of her 17th birthday. In the post, he reflected on their shared experiences and the legacy of Dannielynn's late mother, Anna Nicole Smith.

A video slideshow of pictures taken throughout the years was shared by Larry, 50, who is a photographer by profession.

The renowned Playboy model Anna Nicole, who unfortunately died suddenly in February 2007 from an accidental drug overdose, was seen in several of these treasured photos alongside Dannielynn.

Anna had welcomed Dannielynn into the world on September 7, 2006. However, Anna's life was tragically cut short on February 8, 2007, when Dannielynn was just a few months old.

As Anna Nicole Smith's only child and sole heir to her estate, she reportedly inherited $3 million, as per Distractify. 

'Happy 17th Birthday Dannielynn! I am so proud of you'

In his touching caption, Larry wrote: "Happy 17th Birthday Dannielynn! I am so proud of you in each and every way. Wishing you the best day ever! You are funny, crazy smart, pretty, and just about everything I could ever imagine."

He added, "Your Mom would be so proud of you, I sure am. Happy Birthday! Love Dad."

Lightening the mood, he humorously added: "By the way, when you asked me if you could live in my basement forever. I said yes, but I didn't have the heart to tell you there aren't any basements in Florida #HappyBirthday."

Dannielynn and Larry share a close bond

Over the years, Dannielynn and Larry have never fought publicly,  and their close bond is very evident during their public outings, as reported by Hello.

In May, the two were spotted together at the 149th Kentucky Derby Gala. Dannielynn paid respect to Anna Nicole by donning a Guess shirt featuring black and white pictures of her late mother, while Larry wore a tie that matched his daughter's attire.

Larry Birkhead celebrates 20th anniversary of the night he met Anna Nicole Smith

Larry and Anna met for the first time at the 2003 Kentucky Derby Gala. On Instagram, Larry posted a memory of the same occasion: "Tonight is the 20th anniversary where I met Dannielynn's Mom at the same event..."

Larry recalled that day and said,  "I met Anna first in 2003, and she blew me kisses. I always thought she was so beautiful. When she returned to the Derby in 2004, she was in her best shape."The year 2004 marked the start of their romantic relationship, and Larry soon moved in with Anna in Los Angeles. However, Anna moved to the Bahamas when she got pregnant in the midst of a legal battle over the wealth left to her by her late billionaire husband, J. Howard Marshall.

Marshall was 89 and she was 26, they got married in 1994, but he died away just 14 months later.

"We were living together, planning our baby's future. Despite what anyone says, Anna knew I was the father," Larry said. "They took her to the Bahamas because she was in a lawsuit for all that money, and they saw me as a threat."

Tragic events occurred soon after in 2006, when Anna's son Daniel died from a heroin overdose soon after Dannielynn was born.

DNA test conducted after her death revealed Larry to be Dannielynn's biological father

A few months later, Anna unfortunately died too. A DNA test conducted after her death revealed Larry to be Dannielynn's biological father, leading to a modification of her birth record. Howard K. Stern, Anna's attorney, was formerly thought to be Dannielynn's father.

Since that time, Larry has raised Dannielynn by himself in Kentucky. "After nearly 17 years of raising my daughter on my own, people see that's a resume that speaks for itself," he argued.

He exclaimed with pride that Dannielynn is "grounded and very humble," going to public school on purpose, and doing exceptionally well in school.