Alexa Russo

Alexa Rose Russo, whose sparkling eyes and wide smile lit up a room, died Saturday in her Annadale home. She was 7 years old.

Alexa Rose was a special needs child who was born with a rare genetic disorder that didn't have a definitive diagnosis, but affected the strength in her trunk and legs. The developmental disorder involved both motor skills, as well as speech and language associated with abnormalities of the brain.

The little girl had recently undergone her 10th surgery at Columbia Presbyterian Children's Hospital, Manhattan. Her parents had taken her all over the country in hopes of seeking a diagnosis of her condition.

Everyone who met her fell in love with her, said her mom, Jennifer Russo, who added that all with whom she came in contact felt an immediate attachment to her.

The Russo family was honored at the Emergency Children's Help Organization's (E.C.H.O.'s) fundraising event staged at the Eagle Oaks Country Club, Farmingdale, N.J. in October of 2011, at which time Mrs. Russo addressed the crowd and described the way in which E.C.H.O.'s board members offered the Russo family their guidance and support in obtaining a customized bed in hopes that Alexa Rose would sleep more comfortably each evening.

Alexa Rose's strength was amazing and she in turn gave strength to others and made me the person that I am today, added Mrs. Russo, a fourth grade integrated co-teaching, general and special education teacher at PS 36, Annadale.

She didn't want for anything, she said before explaining that her daughter engaged in horseback riding activities - hippotherapy in hopes of helping with her condition at Helping Others Overcome Physical Handicaps in Ocean Breeze. She also attended Girl Scout meetings, CCD classes and went on vacation - everything that other girls did.

Mrs. Russo noted that Alexa Rose wasn't supposed to live past a week, but she defied the odds.

In addition to her mother, Jennifer, Alexa Rose is survived by her father, Michael Russo, her maternal grandparents, Susan Antoniello and Gerald Gennario and her paternal grandparents, Nancy and Dominick Russo.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home, Tottenville with a mass at 9:45 a.m. Thursday in St. Clare's R.C. Church, Great Kills. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery, Pleasant Plains.

Services: St. Clares RC Church Thursday January 17,2013 9:45AM

Visitation: Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home Tuesday January 15,2013 2-5pm and 7-9:30PM Wednesday January 16,2013 2-6PM Only.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, contributions in Alexa Rose's name to ECHO Emergency Children's Help Organization echoorganization.org would be appreciated.

Cemetery: Resurrection Cemetery (Staten Island)

Location: Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home

Church: St. Clare's RC Church