Rob Burrow’s wife, Lindsey, has paid an emotional tribute to her “loving, kind and caring husband” following his passing at 41 from motor neurone disease (MND).
Leeds Rhinos rugby league icon Burrow succumbed to the disease on Sunday after a brave four-and-a-half-year battle. During his illness, he became a tireless campaigner and fundraiser, striving to support others affected by MND.
In a heartfelt statement released via Leeds Rhinos, Lindsey expressed her pride in Rob: “I was incredibly proud and fortunate to call Rob my husband.
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I am unbelievably proud of the campaigning he’s done to raise awareness and the millions of pounds that have been raised in his name for MND charities.
“I would like to thank the Rugby League community and everyone for their outpouring of love and support since Rob’s diagnosis. I truly appreciate every message of support, and fundraising that has been done.
“My priority is to make Rob proud, and to bring our three children up as Rob would want and ensure their happiness and well-being. We will continue to keep Rob’s legacy alive. We will continue to ‘bang the drum’ and do our best to try and help others.
“Although we knew this day would arrive, I am somehow still feeling at a loss for words that our loving, kind and caring husband and father has departed. However, we take comfort from how much people’s love and continued support meant to Rob through his most vulnerable times. He was simply the best.”
This statement follows the groundbreaking ceremony for a new MND treatment centre in Leeds, which will be named in Burrow’s honor.
Kevin Sinfield, Burrow’s former team-mate and close friend, who has taken on numerous challenges to raise funds for MND, joined Burrow’s family on Monday.
Sinfield remarked: “I wish he could have seen the outpouring of love. I think we all lose special people, but it’s very, very rare you lose someone so special to so many different people.
“As you can see it’s pretty raw still, he will leave a massive hole and I know there will be a lot of heartbroken people today. A lot of people from the MND community will be heartbroken this morning, but he cared about everybody.”
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