Tragic teen, 18, dies after being ‘trapped in the body of a child’ by extremely rare disease that left her unable to age

AN 18-year-old miss has died aft surviving with an highly uncommon illness that near her trapped successful the assemblage of a child.

Elena’s parent Andreea documented her conflict against the illness connected social media, and her followers were devastated by the news.

Elena was diagnosed with mitochondrial illness successful 2016 - making her the lone known lawsuit successful her location state of Italy.  

Those with the familial upset typically endure from seizures, intelligence disability and ataxia, a neurological information causing a deficiency of musculus coordination.

Elena weighed precise small and struggled to grow, and galore of her organs did not relation decently owed to complications caused by the disease.

But this did not halt Elena from surviving beingness to the fullest and she was renowned for her infectious tone and her emotion for life, euphony and creativity.

The illness is truthful uncommon that determination person lone been 18 known cases of the illness worldwide arsenic of 2020, according to the Journal of Medical Genetics.

Elena’s mum Andreea updated her 220,000 followers connected Instagram connected her information connected Friday arsenic she spent clip successful the hospital.

While determination is nary attraction for the disease, the household remained hopeful that she would unrecorded a blessed life.

Speaking earlier her death, Andreea said: “You are our beingness - excavation and your dad's.

“Keep connected fighting, princess.

“First time of targeted care, gone.

“Tomorrow we commencement again towards a agleam grin similar yours, you volition conquer it again.

“Keep going, arsenic you cognize however to do.”

Two days later, Andreea shared a photograph of Elena smiling on with an affectional message.

The caption read: “Elena, darling I privation to retrieve you with this smile.

“Now you volition beryllium singing with angels.

“Your household volition emotion you forever.

“One time we'll spot each different again.”

Her followers were speedy to permission messages of emotion and support.

One idiosyncratic said: “Elena has touched the lives of truthful galore radical each implicit the world.

Another added: “Knowing you and being capable to beryllium with you was an honour and a privilege”

Elena died astatine a infirmary successful Genoa, wherever she lived with her mum, Andreea, dad, Paolo Delle Piane, brothers, Daniele and Luca, and youngest sibling Vittoria.