TwitterJustin Bieber has a lot of fans, but there's only ever been one "Mrs. Bieber."
And that superfan, beloved by Justin himself and all of his Beliebers, was Avalanna Routh. Tragically, the 6-year-old girl lost her battle to cancer on Sept. 26, 2012. This Thursday, Sept. 26, marked the one-year anniversary of her death. She was clearly on Justin's mind as he tweeted, "Will never forget my girl. RIP Avalanna #mrsbieber."
Avalanna's mom, Eileen Roberts Routh, recalled her "greatest love" and "brightest spark" in a Huffington Post piece. "One of her greatest adventures was meeting Justin Bieber. In typical Avalanna fashion, she was completely unfazed by Justin's fame," mom wrote. "She fell in love with a cute boy who was mesmerized by our girl because she radiated life, love, laughter and so much mischief. She was the light of our lives and still shines so bright."
"Avalanna, through her unique relationship with Justin Bieber, created a global awareness for AT/RT [the rare form of cancer she suffered from]," she added. Avalanna's family, in conjunction with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, created the Cure AT/RT Now foundation in 2008. They have since held many fundraisers—including a meet Justin Bieber event—to raise money towards finding a cure for this disease.
Mrs. Bieber was clearly a bright and special little girl, and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Avalanna's family and friends.