Heroic Kevin Sinfield has lead the tributes that are pouring in for rugby league great Rob Burrow, after his death from MND at just 41 years old.
Rob passed away peacefully with his young family by his side on Sunday, following a four-and-a-half-year battle with Motor Neurone Disease.
Since the news broke, tributes to the sporting legend and MND ambassador have poured in, The Hoot reports.
Since his diagnosis, Rob Burrow has done so much to raise awareness and vital funding for the cruel disease, often with the help of his friend Kevin Sinfield – together, the pair have inspired more than £20 million in fundraising.
And theirs was a friendship for the history books.
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Kevin has now shared a tribute to his ‘little mate’, writing that ‘the world has lost a great man’.
In his tribute, shared by Leeds Rhinos, he sent his love to Rob’s family (the sporting legend leaves behind wife Lindsey, two daughters and a son) and praised Rob’s bravery.
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Kevin’s moving tribute says: “Today was the day that I hoped would never come. 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.
“My love and thoughts go to your beautiful family, Lindsey, Macy, Maya, and Jackson, to your lovely parents Geoff & Irene, sisters Joanne and Claire and your wider family and friends.
“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.
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“The last 4 and a half years you showed the world what living and loving looked like and this was always done with the biggest smile on your face.
“I will miss you my little mate. All my love, Kev x.”
Rob Burrow passed away peacefully at Pinderfields Hospital with his family by his side.
Fans are invited to pay their respects to Rob in the South Stand at his beloved Headingley Stadium, with the gates open from Sunday evening for visitors and floral tributes already mounting up.
Leeds Rhinos’ tribute to Rob Burrow CBE
It is with deep sadness that the club can confirm that former player Rob Burrow CBE has passed away, aged 41.
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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 Pinderfields 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. 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 breathtaking try that is still regarded as the greatest Grand Final try ever scored.
In total he made 492 appearances for the club, 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. He was capped 15 times by England and played five more tests for Great Britain including a Man of the Series performance in 2007 for the national side. He won the Challenge Cup at Wembley in 2014 and 2015 as well as three World Club Challenges and three League Leaders Shields.
Following his MND diagnosis in December 2019, Burrow and his family took the decision to open their doors to show the impact of the disease and raise awareness and funds for the MND community. Since then Burrow has inspired two award winning documentaries, wrote a best selling autobiography, hosted an award winning podcast and was awarded a CBE from HRH Prince William at AMT Headingley in January 2023.
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Along with his friend and former team mate Kevin Sinfield, Burrow has inspired nearly £20 million in fundraising across the UK and Ireland. This has included raising over £6 million to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds as a lasting legacy for those who follow him in their own personal battles with the disease.
On behalf of the Burrow family, we would like to thank the staff at Pinderfields Hospital for their compassion and caring for Rob in his final days. Fittingly, as a tribute to the incredible work done by Rob, the groundbreaking of the new Rob Burrow Centre for MND at Seacroft Hospital on Monday will go ahead as planned at Rob’s request. At this time, we would ask that everyone respect the privacy of the Burrow family.
Well wishers who wish to pay their respects to Rob can do so in the South Stand at Rob’s beloved Headingley Stadium, with the gates open from Sunday evening for visitors to come.
How to support Rob Burrows’ family or MND
If you would like to support Rob’s family directly, you can do so here
If you would like to support the MND Association, whom Rob was Patron of, you can do so on Rob’s Fightback Fund page
If you would like to support the Leeds Hospitals Charity appeal to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND you can do so here
Featured image: MND Association
News
Family festival Geronimo cancelled for good as parents slam ‘absolute farce’
Daisy Jackson
Geronimo Children’s Festival, a popular family event that was meant to take place in Cheshire this summer, is ‘no more’.
The festival, sometimes dubbed ‘Glastonbury for kids’ has announced that it’s cancelling its summer weekender for the second year running.
In a statement, organisers blamed poor ticket sales due to ‘the great British weather’ and said that all ticket-holders will be refunded.
Its 2023 festival was also cancelled.
Geronimo was set to take place this year at Arley Hall between 23 and 26 August, featuring children’s entertainment, interactive musical experiences, food and more.
Parents who were looking forward to taking their little ones to the event have now slammed the cancellation as an ‘absolute farce’.
One wrote: “Aww so sorry to hear this we had an amazing time there 2 years ago and we’re so looking forward to going again.”
Another said: “Sad to see something so amazing 6 years ago has now gone to this.”
In its statement, Geronimo said: “With a heavy heart, we announce that Geronimo Children’s Festival is no more and our scheduled event on 23rd-26th August 2024 has been cancelled. We thank all those involved in it, the directors, staff and artists who all put their hearts and soul into the event.
“The great British weather is not always kind and with a huge percentage of festival-goers holding off booking until the last week, the event has become an unsustainable financial risk.
“Ticketline will arrange the face value refund of all valid tickets (including those rolled over from previous years) Please note we have no access to ticketholder details and are unable to assist with refunds directly. All ticket enquiries should be addressed to [email protected] or call 0161 813 2222.
“Thank you to all the families, performers and suppliers who made Geronimo Festival a magical experience for so many children over the last decade. We hope you will cherish the memories of your time in our festival fields and wish everyone a wonderful summer.”
Parents of Dillon Duffy issue urgent appeal to help find missing Oldham teen last seen in London
Danny Jones
The parents of missing Oldham teenager Dillon Duffy have issued an urgent appeal to help find their son who disappeared last week.
Dillon Duffy, 18 from Chadderton, was reported missing on Tuesday, 18 June last week after he was thought to be on the way to work.
He was dropped off by his mother outside the local Asda supermarket on Milne Street, saying that he wanted to grab a bottle of water before his shift, but the teen decided instead to jump on a train to Stoke at around 3.35pm from Manchester Piccadilly before boarding another to London.
CCTV footage confirmed the last-known sighting of the youngster arriving at Euston station and the Metropolitan Police‘s missing person unit is now said to have taken charge.
Dillon, 18, is missing from Greater #Manchester. Dillon got a train to #Euston on the evening of 18 June.
He was wearing a black hooded jacket, grey cap, black tracksuit bottoms and black and grey trainers.
Dillon was last seen wearing the black North Face jacket pictured, as well as black and grey Nike trainers with white soles. Although his head is recently shaved, he is described as having ‘dirty blonde’ hair. It is also thought he could be carrying a large blue Simpsons blanket that is missing from his room.
Speaking to the Oldham Times, mum Donna Duffy said: “It’s obviously a big police area and they’re inundated with missing persons cases, so we’re not really getting anywhere with that at the moment in terms of footage.
“It’s vital that we get some CCTV footage of where he went after Euston station, my sister managed to get some footage for the police but that trail isn’t being chased.
Even more concerningly, Ms Duffy went on to detail that Dillon left a note for his family telling them he was feeling low and that they found internet searches relating to depression.
“We don’t know what frame of mind he’s in”, said Donna, “[but from his Google history it shows he was feeling really low and I’m feeling really sorry for him because I didn’t know he was feeling that way. I just want him to reach out so we can help and support him.”
She also told the MEN that the young man had been deemed “low risk” by police because he is 18 but they are unsure whether he even has money and are worried as there has been no social media activity.
Dillon Jamie Duffy went missing 7 days ago and his family need all the help they can get raising awareness, they are worried sick about him. His last sighting was at Euston station 18/6 17.48 #finddillonduffypic.twitter.com/cOvBRkfdQJ
With Dillon’s father having driven the 200 miles to London immediately and spent six days searching for his son non-stop along with some other friends and family, she admitted the search thus far has taken its toll, with the distressed dad having to come back home “due to his own health.”
He even drove up to Bridlington in Yorkshire due to a hunch based on Dillon’s search history but the pair have now come “come to a standstill”, with Donna adding in a post online that she had been “stood aimlessly in Manchester Picadilly train station” in hopes he might return from the capital.
Numerous accounts across various social media platforms are now trying to spread the word in an effort to locate him. More than 26,000 people have also joined the ‘Help Find Dillon Duffy’ Facebook group and police are urging anyone with information to come forward.
You can also call or text the UK’s official missing persons hotline on 116000 and cite the reference number: 24-096945.
The search for fellow missing teen Jay Slater also continues as efforts to find the 19-year-old from Lancashire have now been stepped up.