Coleen Rooney breaks down in tears as she reflects on late sister Rosie’s final days amid her battle with Rett syndrome

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  • READ MORE: Colin Rooney reveals Wayne’s secret vasectomy played key role in exposing ‘sly’ Rebecca Vardy during Wagatha Christie case

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Coleen Rooney broke down in tears as she discussed her late sister Rose in emotional scenes in her new Disney+ series about the Wagatha Christie scandal.

Explaining why VAG struggles to open up about her concerns, Coleen’s mother Colette McLaughlin revealed it stemmed from growing up caring for Rosie, who died aged 14 in 2013 after a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome, a rare brain disorder that causes severe disabilities .

Collette shared: “Colin keeps things to himself. She doesn’t want to be a burden on me and I can relate that to Rosie. She was so special.’

The McLaughlins took Rosie in as foster children when she was two and while they had previously only provided care, Colleen noticed that “Rosie was different”.

She explained: “When Rosie came she was a big part of our lives. She was the sister I never thought I’d have.’

Heartbreaking: Coleen Rooney breaks down in tears as she talks about her late sister Rose in emotional scenes in her new Disney+ series about the Wagatha Christie scandal

Heartbreaking: Coleen Rooney breaks down in tears as she talks about her late sister Rose in emotional scenes in her new Disney+ series about the Wagatha Christie scandal

Tragic loss: Rosie passed away aged 14 in 2013 after a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome, a rare brain disorder that causes severe disability (pictured in 2006)

Tragic loss: Rosie passed away aged 14 in 2013 after a lifelong battle with Rett syndrome, a rare brain disorder that causes severe disability (pictured in 2006)

Speaking to her mother and father Tony, she continued: “I used to do her hair and I loved picking out clothes with my mum for her. She brought that little extra to the house. We fell in love with her.’

However, the family soon realized that Rosie was struggling with her development, and after a series of hospital tests, she was diagnosed with Rett syndrome.

Colin explained: ‘Rosie, she fought. She couldn’t walk or talk and would be in pain and sick, but she still put a smile on her face.

“Sometimes she had a habit of forcing herself to smile.” I think it was just to make mom and dad happy.

“Gradually her brain stopped working so she couldn’t eat, she couldn’t talk, she couldn’t move.”

Rosie needed 24-hour care and after suffering “a lot 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, a last sleepover, all together,” she explained. ‘And then we had a big party to celebrate her life.’

A tearful Coleen said: ‘Losing a child is the worst thing that can happen to anyone, but when you look back, she gave us so many good years of happiness and love.’

Family: Colin was reunited with his father Tony and mother Colette as they discussed Rosie's final days in emotional scenes on the Disney+ show

Family: Colin was reunited with his father Tony and mother Colette as they discussed Rosie’s final days in emotional scenes on the Disney+ show

The row: Colin reflected on the disturbing time on his show as he revealed how he managed to discover Rebecca Vardy was leaking stories to The Sun (pictured in 2016)

The row: Colin reflected on the disturbing time on his show as he revealed how he managed to discover Rebecca Vardy was leaking stories to The Sun (pictured in 2016)

Revealing the impact Rosie’s death had on her 10 years later, Colleen explained: ‘Because of the things that have happened in my life, I try to be strong for others.

“I don’t want people to worry about me when they have other things going on in their lives, but sometimes I can snap.”

Collette went on to suggest that her daughter didn’t fully process the pain she went through until she was in America when Wayne moved to DC United.

She explained: “It’s been 10 years and Coleen has never really talked about it. She had a lot of time in America, so she had to think a lot then.

“But she hides a lot, so it’s hard to tell what’s going on in her head.”

When she lived in the United States, Colleen struggled with feelings of loneliness and homesickness. She admitted that she didn’t have a single friend in the United States and that her life was dedicated to transporting sons Kai, 13, Clay, 10, Keith, 7, and Cass, 5, to and from school.

Realizing that his wife was struggling with the move, Wayne called his agent and told him they had to return to the UK

With two years remaining on his contract with DC United, Wayne then signed a contract to return to England as player-coach with EFL Championship side Derby County.

Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story is available to stream on Disney+ on Wednesdays from 8am

WHAT IS RATT SYNDROME? A NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER THAT LEAVES CHILDREN UNABLE TO SPEAK, EAT, WALK, TALK AND BREATHE

One child in 12,000 is born with Rett syndrome, but few people have heard of it.

The genetic disorder affects almost exclusively women, causing them to regress neurologically and physically.

The progression of the disease can be roughly divided into four stages.

During the first stage, from about six to 18 months, the baby slows down in development, loses interest in play, stops making eye contact, begins to walk clumsily and makes repetitive hand movements.

The second phase, known as ‘rapid destruction’, begins between the first and fourth years.

The child finds it increasingly difficult to communicate and learn, and other brain functions often deteriorate.

Symptoms include inability to control the hands, sudden stress combined with screaming, unsteadiness, breathing problems, difficulty sleeping, slow head growth and digestive problems.

The third stage, the ‘plateau’, begins between the ages of three and ten.

Limbs become thin, epilepsy may develop, and weight loss and teeth grinding may occur.

However, many parents report that children are less anxious and show more interest in their surroundings.

The final stage can last for decades. A severe bending of the spine – scoliosis, as well as loss of the ability to walk – usually develops.

Almost all cases are caused by a mutation in the MECP2 gene that prevents nerve cells in the brain from working properly.

Currently, there is no cure and only the symptoms are treated.

According to the data, about three quarters of the sufferers will live into their 50s Rett UK. National Institute of Health says that it is not possible to make reliable estimates of life expectancy after 40 years.

According to Rettsindrome.orgdata from the Natural History Study found that a girl with Rett had a 100 percent chance of reaching age 10, a greater than 75 percent chance of reaching age 30, and a greater than 50 percent chance of reaching age 50.

But because of Rett’s rarity, very little has been published about life expectancy.

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