Avalanna Routh, the 6-year-old “Mrs. Bieber” from Merrimac, died this morning

By Chelsea Conaboy, Globe Staff

Avalanna Routh, the Merrimac girl perhaps better known across the country as Mrs. Bieber, has died, Fox 25 news reported this morning. The six-year-old was diagnosed in 2006 with a rare brain cancer and has been treated at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

A note posted on Twitter this morning read, “Our darling Avalanna went to Heaven this morning. Oh Avalanna, the brightest star - you took our hearts with you, our greatest Love.”

Dennis and Callahan of WEEI, who met Avalanna through their work at the Jimmy Fund, paid tribute to the strong spirit of Avalanna and her family this morning.

Avalanna’s family gathered last year for a play wedding between Routh and Bieber at the Jimmy Fund Clinic, and then travelled with her to New York City in February to meet Bieber, who had learned of the girl’s love for him. In June, Bieber brought Avalanna on stage at the Apollo Theater.

Wednesday afternoon Bieber tweeted: “just got the worst news ever. one of the greatest spirits i have ever known is gone. please pray for her family and for her,” and then, “RIP Avalanna. i love you.”

Bieber was “just a dream,” Avalanna’s mother, Aileen Routh told the Globe after the February visit.

“We were Bieber fans before, but there is now a whole new respect for this kid that did such a great job with her and was just so graceful in doing it,” she said.

The visit was “a moment,” Routh said then. “It’s important at this point to look at the bigger picture. I want Avalanna’s legacy to be more.”

The family has been working to raise awareness and money for researching atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors. Read more online at CureATRT.org.