Coleen Rooney shares a heartfelt tribute to her late sister Rosie on the 13th anniversary of her death

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On Monday, Coleen Rooney publicly remembered her sister Rosie, who passed away 13 years ago, sharing a touching message in her memory.

The 39-year-old wife and girlfriend of a famous athlete shared a touching photo of her teenage child, who sadly died in 2013 at only 14 years old. The picture shows the teen holding someone’s hand while wearing a pink knitted hat.

It’s been another year since we lost my sweet Rosie, and it still feels so raw. I posted a little message on Instagram today, just saying ‘Keep watching over us,’ because that’s what I feel she’s doing. I miss her terribly.

Rosie died after a long struggle with Rett syndrome, a rare condition that affects brain development and causes significant disabilities.

This condition impacts a person’s ability to move, and the specific symptoms can vary from person to person.

When Rosie was two years old, she went to live with Coleen’s parents, Tony, a bricklayer, and Colette, who used to work in childcare, as a foster child.

They knew she had a disability, but they didn’t realize how serious it was, and unfortunately, there’s no way to fix it.

Coleen and her husband, Wayne, a former professional footballer, are parents to four sons: Kai, 16, Klay, 11, Kit, 8, and Cass, 6.

Coleen has often talked about her younger sister, Rosie, and in 2024 she shared that her family had always recognized Rosie was unique.

In her Disney+ documentary, the WAG spoke about Rosie and how close they became, saying, ‘Rosie quickly became a huge part of my life – like the sister I always wanted but never expected.’

As a lifestyle expert, I often hear about the special bonds between mothers and daughters, and this story really resonated with me. She shared with me how she used to absolutely adore styling her mother’s hair and going shopping with her, picking out outfits together. It was clearly a cherished part of their relationship.

‘She brought that little bit extra to the house. We fell in love with her.’

It didn’t take long for Rosie’s family to notice she wasn’t developing as expected, and after several tests at the hospital, she received a diagnosis of Rett syndrome.

Coleen shared that Rosie faced a lot of hardship. Despite being unable to walk or talk, and experiencing pain and sickness, Rosie always tried to stay positive and smile.

‘Sometimes she used to force a laugh out. I think it was just to make my mum and dad happy.

‘Gradually her brain wasn’t functioning so she couldn’t eat anymore, couldn’t talk, move.’

Rosie required around-the-clock care. After experiencing several health issues and a stay in the intensive care unit, Colette shared that the family chose to bring her home so she could be with those she loved during her final days.

She explained that they had one final sleepover, with everyone together, and then held a large party to honor her life.

Losing a child is the most devastating experience imaginable, but looking back, we cherish the many happy and loving years we had with her, and that brings us comfort.

You know, being on ‘I’m A Celebrity…’ last November was really tough. I found myself getting emotional and sharing something very personal – the grief I still feel over losing my little sister. It was a hard moment, but I felt it was important to be open about it.

The heartfelt talk started when Coleen’s fellow camper, boxer Barry McGuigan, became upset while discussing his daughter Danika, who sadly passed away from cancer in 2019 at the age of 33.

Coleen told Dean and Oti that she stayed strong for her parents, even after Rosie passed away.

She passed away at just 14 years old, and today she would be 26. Losing a child is incredibly difficult, and I’ve always believed that. Because of that, we feel fortunate for the time we did have with her.

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2026-01-05 18:21