Carina Marie Rose

Carina Marie Rose returned to the arms of the angels on December 10, 2016, after gracing her family and friends with her presence for five and a half precious months. She was born on June 24, 2016, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Denver, Colorado. She left this world as she came in – on her own schedule. She lived in two states, three different neonatal intensive care units, and touched innumerable lives in her short time with us. Her life was all too short for those who love her – but she was never, never boring. Miss Carina, affectionately known by her family as 'Rosebud', was fiercely stubborn and was not afraid to voice her opinions – a trait that some friends and family suggested may be inherited. She was a sweet presence who loved wearing her pink ballerina socks and doing crib calisthenics. Her favorite thing to do was snuggle with her Mom and Dad. She had different cuddling styles for each of them. With her Dad, she preferred to stay right on top of his heart while they both napped, but with Mom, Carina loved to shimmy up to nest just under her Mom's chin. She had a strong grip and loved to hold hands with all the friends and family who came to visit. She took her first flight when she was three months old – on her own airplane! – to travel from Denver to Boston, where she got to spend a great deal more time with her extended family. Carina was a favorite of her care staff at her three homes: St. Joseph's Hospital in Denver, Denver Children's Hospital, and Boston Children's Hospital. The love was mutual, and Carina loved her primary nurses, nurse practitioners, doctors, and all the other support staff. Her special friend, Dr. Anna Lillis, worked especially hard to support Carina even before she transferred from Denver to Boston, and even inspired a very well-received Halloween costume. Halloween weekend was a highlight for Carina, who made a splash in three different costumes. She kicked off the weekend as a Chipotle burrito – her Dad's favorite! – and then charmed everyone as a perfect little Rosebud. She finished off the weekend as Dr. Lillis, which all the nurses agreed was amongst the top NICU costumes ever. In addition to her own creative tendencies, Carina was a muse. She inspired her Aunt Melissa to compose a song that always got stuck in everyone's heads. She left this world in the arms of her parents, surrounded by her family, to the strains of her Aunt Melissa's song. As the song says of Carina, ""You blossomed so early!"" Her beautiful body blossomed too early and briefly, but her spirit continues to inspire everyone who knew her. She is survived by her loving parents, Christina Vela and Barton Rose of Denver, Colorado; her devoted grandparents: Charlotte and Bill Rose of Birmingham, Alabama, and Maureen and John Vela of Tiffin, Ohio; her doting aunts and uncles: Will and Kathryn Rose of Oakland, California, Lydia Vela of Astoria, New York, Lisa Vela of Denver, Colorado, and Theresa and Melissa Vela of Roxbury, Massachusetts; sweet cousins Henry and Eleanor Rose and Xavier Vela; maternal great-grandmother Ophelia Vela; paternal great-grandmother Charlotte Weaver; her extended group of aunties and uncles including Matthew Brewer of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Laura Sauls of Worcester, Massachusetts; and many, many more cousins, great aunts and uncles, and friends who loved her dearly. She was predeceased in death by her maternal great-grandparents: Tom and Gerry Powers of Mayfield Heights, Ohio, and John Vela of Avon, Ohio; her paternal great-grandparents John and Mary Rose of Birmingham, Alabama and Thomas Weaver of Birmingham, Alabama and her uncle Jeffrey Johnson. Funeral services include Viewing Friday, December 16, 2016, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 1091 South Colorado Boulevard, Denver, Colorado, 80246, Viewing Saturday, December 17, 2016, 10:00 am - 11:00 am, Regis University, St. John Francis Regis Chapel, 3333 Regis Boulevard, Denver, Colorado, 80221, and a Funeral Mass Saturday, December 17, 2016, 11:00 am at Regis University, St. John Francis Regis Chapel, 3333 Regis Boulevard, Denver, Colorado, 80221. For parking information at Regis University, St. John Francis Regis Chapel, please see: http://www.regis.edu/~/media/Files/University/Aux-Services/Parking/RUParkingMap.ashx In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to the NICU at Boston Children's Hospital, in memory of Carina Rose. Contributions can be made online at www.bostonchildrens.org/givenow or checks made payable to Boston Children's Hospital can be mailed to: Boston Children's Hospital Trust Attn: Melanie Torosyan 401 Park Drive Suite 602 Boston, MA 02215-5301. Please include ""Carina Rose"" in the memo line of the check or the ""In Memory Of"" tab on the website. Please share memories of Carina and condolences for her family in the guestbook below.