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Prince William leads tributes to Rob Burrow as he hails rugby league player a ‘legend’ following his death aged 41

PRINCE William has led the touching tributes for the rugby league star Rob Burrow hailing him as a “legend.”

Burrow, who passed away today aged 41, was described as having a “huge heart” by Wills who sent his condolences to the Burrow’s family alongside Princess Kate.

Britain’s Prince of Wales William meets former rugby league player Rob Burrow and his family
Britain’s Prince of Wales William meets former rugby league player Rob Burrow and his family
Britain's Prince of Wales William meets rugby coach Kevin Sinfield and former rugby league player Rob Burrow to congratulate and award them with the Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for raising awareness of Motor Neurone Disease, during his visit to the Headingley Stadium in Leeds, Britain, January 11, 2024. REUTERS/Phil Noble/Pool
The Prince of Wales met Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield earlier this year
PA
Rob Burrow passed away on Sunday after a brave battle with motor neurone disease[/caption]
Leeds Rhino's tribute to Burrow
Leeds Rhino’s tribute to Burrow

The fan favourite passed away after a brave battle with motor neurone disease, Leeds Rhinos announced earlier today.

Wills posted his tribute on X saying: “A legend of Rugby League, Rob Burrow had a huge heart.

“He taught us, ‘in a world full of adversity, we must dare to dream.’ Catherine and I send our love to Lindsey, Jackson, Maya and Macy.”

Burrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2019, just two years after retiring from a 17-season rugby league career.

He passed away peacefully at Pinderfield’s Hospital near his home surrounded by his loving family after becoming ill earlier this week.

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 won 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 Kevin Sinfield.

Internationally, Burrow – who was awarded a CBE in January 2023 – was capped 15 times by England and played five Tests for Great Britain.

But he was best known as part of the Leeds team that won the Super League in 2004.

It was a victory that ended the club’s 32-year wait for a title, while he was then named Man of the Match in Rhinos’ 2007 and 2011 victories.

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.

In total he made 492 appearances for Leeds Rhinos placing him in fifth in the club’s all-time list of career appearances.

He scored 196 tries for a total of 1,103 points.

Since his MND diagnosis, Burrow, along with Sinfield, has inspired nearly £20 million in fundraising across the UK and Ireland.

This includes raising over £6 million to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds.

Sinfield famously carried Rob over the finish line at the Leeds marathon, while raising money and awareness for the disease.

Other tributes flooding in came from the MND Association who said: “Our thoughts today are with Rob’s wife Lindsey, children Macy, Maya and Jackson, family and friends and the rugby community.

“Rob, who played at number 7 for Leeds Rhinos, lived with this brutal disease in the public eye after choosing to announce his diagnosis shortly before Christmas 2019. 

“He used every opportunity to raise awareness of the disease, speaking publicly, undertaking media interviews and opening his life up in two moving BBC documentaries My Year With MND and Rob Burrow: Living With MND.”

The charity called the rugby star a “consistent and passionate advocate” in the touching statement.

Broadcaster Dan Walker posted on X to “send all my love” to the grieving family and said the rugby legend “taught us all so much” with his “continued determination and desire to make a difference for others”.

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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