Not all inspirational stories have a happy ending.
Rihanna is mourning the death of 6-year-old Jasmina Anema, a cancer patient who, with the singer's help, underwent a successful bone marrow transplant last year.
Jasmina died last night, barely 13 months after being diagnosed with a particularly aggressive and rare form of leukemia.
"I am incredibly heartbroken that Jasmina has passed away," Rihanna said in a statement today. "She was such a brave and special child. She showed more strength and spirit than many adults I have met. I feel blessed that I was able to have her in my life, and know that through her example she has saved many lives. She was truly an angel on earth."
After hearing about Jasmina's plight last February, Rihanna got involved with donor center DKMS Americas to help find a match for the child, who was in dire need of a bone-marrow transplant.
With help from her new celebrity pals, which also included Kelly Rowland and New York Governor David Paterson, Jasmina's doctors found a match and she underwent a successful transplant in June.
Rihanna awarded Jasmina a special award for her bravery in May at the 3rd Annual DKMS Gala and the two were reunited at an album signing in November.
Thanks to the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the beaming child also scored a 10-minute reception in the Oval Office with none other than President Obama later that month.
"It was like they were really best buddies," Jasmina's mom, Thea Anema, told the New York Daily News. "It was just how he spoke to her, like a daddy. It was so sweet...She feels very special."
—Additional reporting by Lindsay Miller