LEGEND'S LEGACY
Rob Burrow’s parents shed tears as work begins on centre in hero’s honour – after wife Lindsey’s heartbreaking statement
Prince William and Burrow's pal Kevin Sinfield led tributes yesterday
ROB Burrow's parents shed tears today as they watched work begin on a centre in the late hero's honour.
The soil was turned less than 24 hours after the tragic news broke that the former England rugby star had passed away after a brave battle with motor neurone disease.
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Burrow, 41, was diagnosed with the disease in 2019, just two years after retiring from a 17-season rugby league career.
Leeds Rhinos announced the hero's tragic death yesterday afternoon and crowds will tonight pay tribute to him at St James’ Park before England plays Bosnia and Herzegovina.
His dad Geoff and mum Irene appeared emotional today as they watched work begin on a £6million MND centre in Leeds.
The centre will be known as Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease after he spearheaded the idea and fundraising.
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Burrow's former teammate at pal Kevin Sinfield - who carried him over the Leeds Marathon finish line last year - stood at their side at the ceremony, too.
He was said to have pushed for work to begin on the new specialist centre today in the days before his death.
Burrow's friend Phil Daly said "Rob wouldn't want us to waste a day" in the ongoing battle with MND.
The hero's dad Geoff said through tears that his son had accepted it was his time to go.
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He said "obviously it was a sad day but it was peaceful".
Geoff continued: "We made sure he ended his journey on his conditions, we didn't want any suffering and he didn't suffer, it was very peaceful.
BBC Breakfast in show shake up as Sally Nugent is replaced just hours after emotional tribute to close friend Rob Burrow
"He was in hospital. He smiled, we got sad and he gave us the look, you know 'pack it in smile' and what have you and we did our best."
"It was very sad, surreal, you know you feel as though there is going to be a big difference and there isn't, we still haven't quite accepted it yet."
Rob said they "knew what was coming" as he said through tears: "When he took his final breath you think 'what do we do' but it was like he'd gone to heaven and I'm sure he is."
Pal Sinfield today broke down as he said he wished Burrow "could have seen the outpouring of love" that's poured in in the wake of his death.
He said through tears: "We all lose special people but it's very rare you lose someone who is so special to so many people.
"It's pretty raw still - he'll leave a massive hole."
Sinfield continued: "What's important is Rob Burrow continues live on forever and our team and the MND community will make sure of that."
The turning of soil came after Burrow's loved ones opened up about his passing, hailing him a "true inspiration".
He is survived by Lindsey and their children Macy, Maya and Jackson.
A statement released by the Burrow family read: "It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of our beloved son, husband, father, brother and friend.
He was in hospital. He smiled, we got sad and he gave us the look, you know 'pack it in smile'.
Geoff Burrow
"Rob has always been a true inspiration throughout his life whether that was on the rugby league field or during his battle with MND.
"He never allowed others to define what he could achieve and believed in his own ability to do more.
"The outpouring of love and support that Rob and the whole Burrow family have received over the last four and a half years meant so much to Rob.
"In particular, the rugby league family and the MND community have rallied around Rob to inspire him, thank you for your support.
"For those who knew Rob throughout his life, his determination and spirit in the face of MND over the last four and a half years came as no surprise.
"Rob never accepted that he couldn't do something, he just found his own way of doing it better than anyone else. He will continue to inspire us all every day. In a world full of adversity, we must dare to dream."
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Wayne Rooney today paid tribute to Burrow too, hailing him a "true warrior, legend and inspiration".
The football manager said: "The world has lost a great man and a wonderful friend to so so many.
"You fought so bravely until the end and became a beacon of hope and inspiration, not only for the MND community but for all those who saw and heard your story."
Rooney continued: "You will continue to inspire me every single day. I have lost a dear friend and I will never forget the special times we shared both on and off the pitch.
"I would always say that you were pound for pound the toughest player I ever played alongside, however, since your diagnosis, you were the toughest and bravest man I have ever met."
The 41-year-old passed away peacefully at Pinderfield's Hospital near his home surrounded by his loving family after becoming ill last week.
Rob never accepted that he couldn't do something, he just found his own way of doing it better than anyone else.
Burrow's family
The small but mighty rugby icon played his entire career with Leeds Rhinos and won every honour with the club as part of their golden generation.
He scooped eight Super League titles in an illustrious playing career while also representing England and Great Britain internationally.
After being diagnosed with the illness, he dedicated himself to raising awareness and funds for the MND community with the support of close friend and former Leeds team-mate Sinfield.
The Prince of Wales paid tribute to Burrow describing him as a “legend of Rugby League” who had a “huge heart”.
William added: “He taught us, ‘in a world full of adversity, we must dare to dream’.”
A married father of three young children, he could articulate his thoughts through Eyegaze, a device which translates blinks into letters and then builds them into words on a screen.
What is the £6m centre?
The new £6million Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) will be a state-of-the-art facility designed to support the complex - changing needs of those with the illness.
Work began at the site at Seacroft Hospital today, with Burrow's family saying he "would be looking down and smiling".
The former England rugby star had been spearheading a £6.8m charity appeal for Leeds Hospitals Charity to build the centre to support those living with the incurable disease.
The building will provide specialist areas for speech and language therapy, dietetics, neurology, respiratory and palliative care.
Once complete, it will also house a therapy space, procedure room and an area for patients to "bank"; their own voices if they use a digital aid to support communication.
Families and carers of those with MND will also be supported at the centre.
The site, which is more than 1,000 square metres, will have wheelchair accessible parking and a landscaped garden.
Views of patients, families and carers and the needs of clinical staff and other specialist services have all been incorporated in the design of the facility.
Since Burrow's death was announced yesterday the fundraising appeal for the centre has received more than 1,000 donations.
The build is expected to take around a year.
And his wife Lindsey was a steadfast rock who carried Burrow around their home and did everything for him.
Leeds' statement released on Sunday evening read: "It is with deep sadness that the club can confirm that former player Rob Burrow CBE has passed away, aged 41.
"Rob inspired the entire country with his brave battle against Motor Neurone Disease (MND) since his diagnosis in December 2019. He passed away peacefully at Pinderfield's Hospital near his home surrounded by his loving family after becoming ill earlier this week.
"Burrow played his entire career with Leeds Rhinos and won every honour with the club as part of their golden generation.
"A hard-working and dedicated player, his fearless performances made him one of the most respected players in the Rhinos ranks.
"Rob rose through the club's academy ranks to make his debut in 2001.
"In 2004, he was part of the Leeds team that ended a 32-year wait to win the Championship with victory in the Grand Final.
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"It was the first of eight Grand Final wins for Burrow including winning the man of the match award in the 2007 and 2011 Old Trafford showpieces.
"The 2011 game included his breath-taking try that is still regarded as the greatest Grand Final try ever scored."
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Rob Burrow Obituary
By Grace Macaskill
Courageous rugby legend Rob Burrow has died of motor neurone disease.
The 41-year-old went from one of the fiercest rugby players in Britain to being confined to a wheelchair barely able to move after his diagnosis in December 2019.
Leeds Rhino player Rob, who was capped 15 times for England and five for Great Britain, leaves behind wife Lindsey and children Macy, Maya, and Jackson.
The couple were teenage sweethearts and Rob once said: “There’s something beautiful about being cared for by the only girl you’ve ever loved.”
Images of Rob being carried across the finishing line of the Leeds Marathon by fellow player Kevin Sinfield went all around the world in May 2023 - and became an enduring symbol of hope for MND sufferers.
Kevin raised more than £7 million for motor neurone charities after his friend was diagnosed and pushed Rob’s specially adapted chair around the 26.2 mile race before picking him up so they could finish together.
Rob later told The Sun: “Kevin whispered, ‘You’re not going to beat me Rob, we are finishing together. He then kissed me on the cheek.
“It was a day in a million. It felt like scoring in a Grand Final again.”
Rob, given an MBE in 2021, was one of Britain's smallest rugby players but behind his diminutive stature lay the heart of a lion.
He refused to give in to MND which leaves sufferers trapped in their own bodies, their minds as sharp as ever as their movement and speech fails.
The dad-of-three - who talked through a computer like the late physicist Stephen Hawking, who also had MND - was determined to raise awareness of the condition.
After doctors predicted he would die within a year, Rob said he was inspired to live by fellow sufferer, Scottish rugby union player Doddie Weir.
Before he lost his voice, Rob said: “Dodi is so inspiring. He’s approaching it the way I want to go, to live a normal life as much as I can.
“He’s happy, really positive and I want to be like that.
“Whatever I can do to raise awareness, I’m more than happy.”
Dodi sadly died aged 52 in November 2022.
Undeterred, Rob and Lindsey, carried on raising awareness for the disease through interviews and fundraising.
Supporters began a £5 million fundraising drive for a new MND centre bearing Rob’s name in Leeds.
His family refused to give up the fight to keep Rob alive with dad Geoff managing to get his son on a trial drug to slow down the progressive of the disease.
Rob was diagnosed with the cruel condition after an old rugby injury flared up.
He told BBC: “My speech was slurred with family telling me it had got worse.
“I had an old injury and went for a (painkiller) jab in my shoulder. I mentioned about the speech to the doctor and was very quickly diagnosed.
“I didn't know much about MND at all. I’d read up on the internet about the symptoms…but I didn’t believe (I had) it. When I found out it was a massive shock.”
He said his first instinct on being told he would die was to check that Lindsey was okay.
“Most husbands would feel that,” he said. “It was tough on her. I thought’ I’m glad I have this disease and not her.’
“MND is not the worst thing in the world - your kids getting poorly is the worst thing. I’m not trying to portray myself as a hero because any man would gladly take any pain from their wife and kids and give it to himself.”
The couple were then faced with telling their three children.
Rob said: “It’s not easy. How do you tell them you’ve got something when there’s no cure? Lindsey was a great help.
“We wanted to tell them before Christmas because we thought that would be a distraction. I wanted them to know, you know?”
Lindsey later spoke of the children’s acceptance saying: “We told them that the doctors and nurses were doing everything they could for Daddy but that he had MND and it was life-limiting.
“Maya said, ‘Why are you telling us this? It’s boring’. We all started laughing.”
Wife Lindsey told the Sun in May 2023 how the family had a “no tears” approach to the disease, saying: “WIthin the first couple of weeks of diagnosis, Kev Sinfield took Rob to meet Doddie, and that was the turning point.
“Doddie instilled hope into Rob, telling him, ‘Despite what they tell you, fight this and carry on with life.’
“Rob came home and told me, ‘Right, there’s a no-tears policy, we deal with this. It is what it is and we keep things as normal and possible for the children and make happy memories.
“Rob said he would accept the diagnosis but fight the prognosis.”
Two months later Rob, who won eight Grand finals with Leeds Rhinos as they dominated rugby league in the 2000s, started recording his voice so his children could still hear him through a computer when it disappeared.
By October 2020, his dulcet Yorkshire tones could be heard through technology which Rob used his eyes to control.
As his condition worsened, the player had to permanently use a wheelchair. Unable to walk or talk, reliant on physiotherapist Lindsey and his parents Geoff and Irene, to feed and wash him.
But Rob never lost the sparkle in his eyes which appeared to constantly shine and said more about his indomitable spirit than anything else.
He said he dreaded the day he would leave his family behind - but was not afraid to die.
Rob said: “There are times when I think about death, but I’m not afraid of dying.
“The most frustrating thing is not being a proper dad. I know I am their daddy but, when it’s not on your terms, it is horrible.”
Rob, of Pontefract, Yorks, was often the Leeds Rhinos scrum-half or hooker and played 493 times, winning eight super league championships, two challenge cups and was named in the super league dream team three times.
Yet standing at 5ft 5 and weighing 10 stone, 5lb, he was known as the ‘smallest player in the super league’.
He showed the same determination in his fight to raise awareness of MND.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak summed up Britain’s affection for Rob in March 2023, when he was given a special 2000 Points of Light award for his work.
Rishi said: “The legacy of everything you are doing for the fight against this disease will change what it means to be diagnosed with MND.
“As you have said: ‘In a world of adversity, we must dare to dream.’
“Inspired by you, many will dare to dream and fulfil those dreams, in spite of whatever adversity they may face.”
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