Coleen Rooney marks anniversary of little sister's death with incredibly emotional photo

Coleen Rooney has shared an emotional tribute to her sister Rosie, who died 12 years ago at the age of 14 following a lifelong battle with the rare brain disorder Rett syndrome

Coleen Rooney has paid an emotional tribute to her late sister Rosie on the 12th anniversary of her death.

On Sunday, 5 January, the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! star marked the anniversary of Rosie’s death by sharing a sweet black and white snap of herself and Rosie on Instagram. In the photograph, Coleen beamed from ear to ear as she gazed at Rosie, who also wore a big smile on her face.

Captioning the snap, the TV personality, 38, simply wrote: “12 years” followed by a red heart emoji. In response to the heartwarming tribute, Coleen’s followers flooded the comments section with messages of condolence. “Thinking of you all today Coleen and family xxxx,” wrote one. “thinking of u & ur lovely family,” another wrote.

Meanwhile, Coleen’s I’m A Celeb pals also showed their support for the star, with Maura Higgins and Coronation Street’s Alan Halsall commenting with heart emojis. BBC Radio 1 presenter Dean McCullough added: “sending you love”.

Coleen’s parents adopted Rosie when she was two, knowing she was disabled. Sadly her health got worse over time and she died in 2013 at the age of 14 after a lifelong battle with the rare brain disorder Rett syndrome - which causes severe disabilities.

Speaking in her Disney+ documentary, Coleen explained: “Rosie, she struggled. She couldn't walk and she couldn't talk. She would be in pain and sick but she would still put a smile on her face. Rett syndrome is a genetic disorder, sometimes she used to force a laugh out, I think to make me mum and dad happy. Gradually her brain wasn't functioning and she couldn't eat anymore, she couldn't crawl anymore.”

Coleen's mum then opened up about how Rosie was admitted to intensive care on numerous occasions as she got more and more sick. However, they arranged for her to return home for her final few days where they could have “one last sleepover”.

During her recent stint in the I’m A Celeb jungle, Coleen became emotional as she opened up to her campmates about her loss. “I don't usually get worked up, it takes me a lot,” she said as she spoke about Rosie. “Even when Rosie died, I kept it together for me mum and dad.” She added: “When you're away and in different environments, it's when you stop,” before alluding to the upcoming anniversary and discussing how difficult it is to lose a child.

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