Celebrities often make superficial contact with their fans, but the relationship between Justin Bieber and Avalanna Routh was different. The 6-year-old from Merrimac, who died last week from a rare form of cancer called ATRT, spent much of her short life struggling through treatments. But watching Justin Bieber made her happy — so much so that last year, the staff at the Dana-Farber Cancer Center threw her a faux wedding to the pop star. A friend of Routh’s family started a Facebook page, aiming to help the little girl meet her idol. Bieber saw it and invited Routh to New York where, in February, the pair cuddled and played Candyland together.
The story charmed a nation and won Bieber some well-deserved goodwill. But it didn’t end there; the 18-year-old pop star continued a public friendship with the girl who became known as “Mrs. Bieber.” At a Glendale, Ariz., concert last weekend, where Bieber famously vomited on stage, he also displayed photos of Routh and tweeted a dedication to her spirit. Those gestures felt sincere, as did the widely circulated photos of Bieber hugging Routh, a look of tenderness on his face. Their relationship owed much to Routh’s extraordinary spirit; by all accounts, she was funny, precocious, and charming. But Bieber gets credit, as well, for setting an example of caring and concern that has made an impression on other young fans. He has helped raise awareness of a terrible disease, while bringing much-needed joy to one little girl’s life.
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