Lindsey Burrow has penned a memoir about losing the love of her life, rugby league legend Rob to motor neurone disease and how it has shone a light for her on Britain’s unpaid carers
Rob Burrow’s widow has said the death of the rugby league legend is starting to hit her ‘more than ever’ nine months after losing his battle with MND.
Despite her grief Lindsey Burrow insists she is ‘determined’ to keep her promise to Rob that she will be happy and positive, as he was throughout his illness.
The Leeds Rhinos hero died aged 41 from motor neurone disease last June. But Lindsey, 41, says she still goes to text Rob – only to remember she’s lost the love of her life.
She said: “It’s now that it’s starting to hit me more than ever. It’s the little things. A family friend passed away not so long ago and my first instinct was to message Rob and tell him what had happened. Then suddenly there’s the realisation that he isn’t there.
“Or I’ll finish work and message Rob to say I’m going to be a bit late home. Or you just want a cuddle or you’ve had a bad day and you just want that person to have a moan at or to give you some advice. That’s what I’m starting to miss.”
The first Christmas without Rob was particularly tough for herself and their children, Macy, 13, Maya, nine and Jackson, six.
“I think the first of everything is always going to be the hardest – first birthdays, first Christmas, but the children, very much like Rob, don’t feel sorry for themselves. They don’t look for self-pity.”
She added: “Life is still so busy with the children. They keep me going and give me a reason to smile. I know Rob wanted us to be happy ultimately and I’m determined to keep that promise to him.”
When he was diagnosed in December 2019, less than two years after announcing his retirement from the rugby pitch, Rob decided to raise awareness of his disease.
He raised more than £15 million over the course of his four-and-a-half year battle. The money has helped to fund research into the disease through a series of events, including several marathon efforts by Rob’s former team-mate Kevin Sinfield.
Now Lindsey, an NHS physiotherapist, who juggled her job and their three children with around the clock care for Rob has written a memoir to raise her own awareness about the incredible work of Britain’s carers.
She says her late husband convinced her to write the book, called Take Care. She said: “Carers keep the country going and they are the backbone of society, and that really put a spark in my belly to raise awareness, obviously with Rob’s backing.
“The book is for anyone who has experienced hard times, be it loss or the emotional toll of caring for a loved one. I know first-hand that caring can be so difficult but also so powerful and rewarding.
“I wanted to paint a really honest and open picture of the challenges of living with somebody who has a terminal illness, but also to celebrate Rob’s legacy of what he achieved and what we’ve achieved together.”
She added: “You do have the days when you just want to pull the duvet back over your head, but I think of Rob and he inspires me to be the best version of myself that I can be.”
Prince William, who Lindsey met in January 2024 when he awarded Burrow and Sinfield their CBEs on a surprise visit to Headingley in Leeds, has written the foreword to the book.
In it, the Prince of Wales praises her for sharing her story of “compassion, perseverance and love”. As well as continuing her husband’s legacy, Lindsey is looking forward to the opening of The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in Leeds this summer and will continue to fundraise for Leeds Hospitals Charity.