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Romina Rivera Cruz, the violin prodigy who became famous for playing before Pope Leo XIV during the canonization of José Gregorio Hernández and Carmen Rendiles, passed away on Sunday, August 16, at the age of 9.
The child's mother, Claribeth Cruz, confirmed that Romina suffered from cystic fibrosis and reported a lack of medical knowledge during her hospital care.
Who was Romina Rivera Cruz, the violin prodigy?
Romina Rivera Cruz was a violin prodigy who began her musical journey at age four within the ranks of the Acarigua-Araure branch of El Sistema, according to N+.
Later, the child was part of the Acarigua-Araure Children's and Youth Symphony Orchestra, the José Antonio Páez Portuguese Youth Symphony, and the Children's Orchestra of Venezuela.
But the performance that would bring her into the public eye was her solo violin interpretation of the piece 'Danzón,' by Mexican composer Arturo Márquez, during the canonization of José Gregorio Hernández and Carmen Rendiles at the Vatican in October 2025.
Raquel Castillo, regional director of Portuguesa, described Romina Rivera Cruz as “a very disciplined, studious, talented, happy girl,” as reported by the portal Portuguesa Reporta.
For its part, the System of Youth and Children's Symphony Orchestras of Venezuela, Portuguesa branch, issued a statement expressing their grief over the death of the child.
“We will always remember your smile, your love for art, and your brilliant talent... It is very hard to lose one of our own; we ask the Almighty to receive you in His arms. Your music and sensitivity will always resonate in every corner of our branches and in the hearts of those of us who had the privilege of watching you grow and play with your soul.”
What did Romina Rivera Cruz die of?
Claribeth Cruz, the mother of Romina Rivera Cruz, confirmed that her daughter passed away due to cystic fibrosis.
According to MedlinePlus, this disease “causes the buildup of thick, sticky mucus in the lungs, digestive tract, and other areas of the body.” Additionally, it is hereditary.
What did Romina Rivera Cruz's mother say about her death?
Claribeth Cruz reported, through a video on social media, that the death of her daughter Romina Rivera Cruz was due to a lack of medical knowledge regarding this disease. She asserted that they did not connect her with her primary pulmonologist and that her daughter spent 10 days in the hospital.
“My daughter had an underlying condition called cystic fibrosis. However, her death was due to a lack of medical knowledge. She was treated by various doctors who were unaware of the pathology and who did not allow a connection with her primary pulmonologist, the doctor who saw her at the cystic fibrosis unit... they denied me that opportunity. I know that this will not bring my daughter back, but I also know that just as she suffered these 10 days in the hospital, many children must have also gone through it, or perhaps they are going through it.”
Claribeth Cruz added that the hospital where her daughter was treated lacked the necessary conditions to treat her and claimed that the doctors used her daughter for practice.
“The lack of knowledge of the medical staff dimmed my daughter's light, the opportunities, and the dreams she had. They did not allow it, they do not have the necessary conditions for a patient with that complexity to be hospitalized there, and yet, what they did was perform a series of studies and exams on her that ended up decompensating my daughter. My daughter became a study and practice for each of those doctors who were there, students or not, who were on duty.”
[Publicidad]