Heartbroken granny pays tribute to 'hero' Symone

The hearbroken grandmother of a young Mullingar girl who died yesterday after a two year battle with illness says that her granddaughter is a “hero”, who will meet her Prince Charming in heaven.

Symone Rowley from Ardleigh Crescent passed away yesterday in her home surrounded by her loving family almost two years after being diagnosed with the rare spinal condition transverse myelitis, which left her paralysed from the shoulders down.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner this afternoon, Symone's devastated grandmother Rose said that she and the rest of her family are “broken hearted”.

“It was so quick in the end and it's so painful for all the kiddies [Symone's brother and sisters].

"I know she is out of pain. The kids were saying that she will be flying with the unicorns in heaven and I was trying to explain to them that she is not going to have any pain anymore and will be able to move her arms and legs.”

Symone was due to turn thirteen tomorrow, Thursday, and her family had organised for musical superstar Ed Sheeran to call her in the afternoon. Tragically, however, instead she will be laid to rest in Ballyglass Cemetery after her funeral mass in the Cathedral of Christ the King at 11am.

Rose says that Symone was a “bubbly and “kind” girl, who loved her family dearly and never missed a day of school. Symone's funeral is going to be a celebration of her young life, her grandmother says.

“She is our hero. She is going to leave her home as a hero, brought in a carriage. She had planned her own little wedding. She said that she would have a white dress and a diamond tiara. That's what she is laid out in is her beautiful wedding dress and her diamond tiara. She is going to have her carriage and her horses. She is going to have everything.

“We love her so much, with all our hearts. She is not in any pain anymore. That just means everything to us. No more needles, no more hospital beds. She is in her big princess bed now that was specially made for her.

“We are going to give her a wedding day, not a funeral, a wedding day. Up in heaven she will meet her Prince Charming.”

Symone is survived by by her loving mother Hazel, father Jason, brother Oliver, sisters Angel, Skylar, Harley and her nanny Rose, uncle Jason, Thomas and Kenneth, aunt Roseanna, Mairead and Danny, cousins, relatives and friends.

The Mass may be viewed live on www.mullingarparish.ie