Coleen Rooney shared a heartfelt tribute to her late sister Rosie on the 13th anniversary of her death on Monday.
The WAG, 39, shared a sweet snap of the teen, who passed away in 2013 at the age of just 14, holding a loved one’s hand as she wore a pink knitted hat.
Coleen added a caption to her Instagram post, which read: ‘Another year since you left us Rosie. Keep watching over us.’
Rosie passed away following a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome, a rare brain disorder that causes severe disabilities.
The disorder affects physical movement and can manifest in various symptoms in each individual case.
Rosie was taken in as a foster child by Coleen’s parents, bricklayer Tony and Colette, a former nursery nurse, when she was two.Â
Coleen Rooney shared a heartfelt tribute to her late sister Rosie on the 13th anniversary of her death on MondayÂ
Rosie passed away aged just 14 following a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome, a rare brain disorder that causes severe disabilitiesÂ
Although they were aware she was disabled, they did not know the full extent of her condition, which has no cure.
Coleen is now a mother herself to sons Kai, 16, Klay, 11, Kit, eight, and Cass, six, with her retired footballer husband Wayne, 40.
Coleen has always been very open about her younger sister and in 2024 spoke about how her family always knew ‘Rosie was different’.
The WAG made the comment in her Wagatha Christie Disney+ documentary where she explained: ‘When Rosie came along, she was a massive part of our lives. She was the sister that I never thought I was going to have.’
Speaking to her mother and her father, Tony, she continued: ‘I used to do her hair and used to love picking clothes with my mum for her.
‘She brought that little bit extra to the house. We fell in love with her.’
Yet the family soon realised that Rosie was struggling with her development, and after a series of hospital tests, she was diagnosed with Rett syndrome.
Coleen explained: ‘Rosie, she struggled. She couldn’t walk and talk and would be in pain and sick, but she still put a smile on her face.
‘Sometimes she used to force a laugh out. I think it was just to make my mum and dad happy.
Rosie was taken in as a foster child by Coleen’s parents, bricklayer Tony and Colette, a former nursery nurse, when she was twoÂ
‘Gradually her brain wasn’t functioning so she couldn’t eat anymore, couldn’t talk, move.’
Rosie needed 24-hour care and after suffering from ‘lots of complications’ and being admitted to intensive care, Colette revealed the family decided to bring her home to spend her final days surrounded by her loved ones.
‘We had a sleepover, one last sleepover, all of us together,’ she explained. ‘And then we had a big party to celebrate her life.’
Coleen said: ‘To lose a child is the worst thing that could ever happen to anyone, but when you look back now, she gave us so many good years of happiness and love.’
During her time on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here in November 2024, Coleen broke down in tears as she opened up about the loss of her little sister.
The emotional conversation began when Coleen’s campmate, boxer Barry McGuigan became emotional as he spoke about his late daughter Danika who lost her battle with cancer in 2019 aged 33.
Coleen then confided in Dean and Oti saying: ‘Even when Rosie died, I kept it together for me mum and dad.
‘She was 14 when she died, she’d be 26 now. It’s hard to lose a child, I’ve always said that… so we’re lucky to have what we’ve got.’
