The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to “legend of Rugby League” Rob Burrow, after his death aged 41 following a lengthy battle with motor neurone disease.
The MND Association said Burrow was a “passionate advocate” for people with the “brutal” disease, and William said that the former England international had a “huge heart”.
In a personally signed message on X, formerly Twitter, William said: “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.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also paid tribute on social media.
“Rob was an inspiration to everyone who met him or who heard his incredible story. I was honoured to spend some time with him last year,” the Prime Minister tweeted, saying he “drove a fundraising campaign that supports vital new research improving the care for others”.
Burrow’s former team, Leeds Rhinos, said he “passed away peacefully” at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakeford, near his home, surrounded by his family, after becoming ill earlier this week.
On behalf of the Burrow family, the rugby league club thanked the hospital’s staff for “their compassion and caring for Rob in his final days”.
In January, William surprised Burrow and his former teammate Kevin Sinfield by making them CBEs during a visit to Headingley Stadium, paying tribute to their “phenomenal” efforts in raising funds for motor neurone disease.
Burrow spearheaded a £6.8 million appeal for Leeds Hospitals Charity, where he received care, for a state-of-the-art care centre for people living with motor neurone disease.
Leeds Rhinos said work on Monday to begin building the new Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease will “go ahead as planned at Rob’s request”, adding it was a tribute to his “incredible work”.
Leeds Hospitals Charity said Burrow was “an inspiration, not only to the people of Yorkshire, but the entire nation, and across the world”, adding that he spread joy with his “infectious smile and unwavering sense of humour”.
Burrow spent his entire rugby league career with Leeds Rhinos and helped them win eight Super League titles, and represented Great Britain.
Emotional well-wishers turned up at the club’s Headingley Stadium on Sunday to pay their respects, leaving flowers, shirts and other tributes.
After being diagnosed with motor neurone disease two years after retiring in 2017, the MND Association said Burrow “used every opportunity to raise awareness of the disease”.
The chief executive of the association said Burrow was “brilliant for the motor neurone disease community” and that he lived with the condition with “dignity, kindness and tenacity”.
Tanya Curry, who has led the MND Association since January 2023, told the PA news agency: “We are so grateful for everything that Rob and his family did.
“He allowed his diagnosis to come into people’s homes so he could show the impact of this devastating and cruel disease that he lived with since the end of 2019 with such dignity, kindness and tenacity.
“Whenever you met Rob, you couldn’t help but smile and have a great conversation with him and he will be missed by so many.”
Ms Curry said Burrow, a patron of the MND Association, was “immensely brave” to share his diagnosis and “allowed people to have hope”.
She added: “I first met Rob in 2023 actually, when I came into my role.
“I was just struck by his humour, his practical approach to this disease, the twinkle in his eye, the fact that he had huge determination to share the impact with the world, and to also really fight so hard along his journey.
“He allowed people to have hope. But he was also very realistic with where he was and he just opened his life up and that takes huge courage.
“And I know the community was so grateful for that.”
BBC Breakfast’s Sally Nugent, who covered Burrow’s life after his diagnosis, remembered him as the “smallest player on the pitch. But a giant of a man”.
Burrow was made an MBE in the 2021 New Year’s Honours for his contribution to rugby league and for raising awareness of motor neurone disease.
Leeds Rhinos said in a statement on Sunday: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of our beloved son, husband, father, brother and friend.
“Rob has always been a true inspiration throughout his life whether that was on the rugby league field or during his battle with MND (motor neurone disease).
“He never allowed others to define what he could achieve and believed in his own ability to do more.
“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 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.”
The chief executive of Leeds Hospitals Charity, Esther Wakeman, said: “We are heartbroken to hear that our patron, Rob Burrow, has sadly died.
“Even when his own voice failed him, he gave a voice to the entire MND community, giving people hope and spreading joy with his infectious smile and unwavering sense of humour.”
