Coleen Rooney has paid tribute to her late sister, Rosie, on what would have been her 24th birthday. Taking to her Instagram page on Wednesday, the wife of Wayne Rooney posted a poignant picture of her sister posing with her eldest son Kai, now 13.
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"Happy Birthday to our very special angel Rosie. The best sister and the best aunty [angel and heart emojis] #24today," she wrote in the caption.
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Rosie passed away in 2013, just one month before her 15th birthday. She suffered a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome, a rare brain disorder that causes severe disabilities.
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Fans were quick to offer their well-wishes to Coleen, with one writing: "What a beautiful picture, priceless." Another remarked: "Thinking of you all especially today." A third post read: "A very special angel indeed. I don't know you personally but I admire you and your family. Sending lots of love from Singapore."
Coleen opened up about Rosie's condition in an interview with the Mail in 2006. She spoke of how as a baby, Rosie had difficulties crawling and swallowing her food over time, and that it took a year for her little sister to be diagnosed. She touchingly added that Rosie "can't talk to us but you can tell when she's happy - she laughs and giggles and her eyes sparkle".
Coleen uploaded this sweet snap of her late sister Rosie
The fashion designer's parents Tony and Colette McLoughlin fostered, and later adopted, Rosie when she was a baby. In a statement at the time of her death, the family said: "Rosie was just 14-years-old and fought a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome. Throughout her life she brought so much love and happiness to all our family and everyone who knew and met her.
"She was such a strong little girl and an inspiration to us all. We shall cherish forever the memories we have shared and the love she showed us each and every day of her life. As a family we are heartbroken but we are blessed to have had her in our lives."