Mourners line the streets to pay final respects to Rob Burrow ahead of funeral
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Many people have come together to honor the memory of rugby league player and advocate for motor neurone disease, Rob Burrow, before his funeral.
The ex-Leeds Rhinos player and former England national team member passed away on 2 June at 41 years old after a long fight with a sickness.
The funeral service for him will be held privately at Pontefract Crematorium on 7 July, as a tribute to the jersey number he proudly sported during his time in rugby league.
Fans showed up wearing rugby jerseys, a lot of them with Burrow's name and the number 7 on the back, to cheer as the funeral procession went to the ceremony.
Yellow and white blooms, representing the colours of Leeds Rhinos, were tossed onto the windshield of the funeral car.
At the funeral home, there were mourners who came to pay their respects. One of them was his close friend and former teammate, Kevin Sinfield. Together, they were able to raise over £15m for charities that support people with motor neurone disease (MND) after he was diagnosed with the illness.
Bob Woodhead, who was a coach for Burrow when he was younger, said that he was a very eager, excited, and respectful young man.
"I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to coach him," Mr. Woodhead shared with the BBC.
I just wanted to assist him in moving forward.
Even though many people have always said he was too little, I can't help but think of rugby league icon Roger Millward. People used to say the same thing about him, but look at the successful career he had.
Lindsey, the wife of Burrow, spoke to BBC Breakfast last month in her first interview since he passed away. She expressed how he served as an inspiration to many and was a prominent figure in the MND community.
Even though we feel sad and mournful, we have many reasons to feel grateful for having him in our lives and making the world a more positive place to exist.
I am happy to have been married to him for 17 and a half years and to have three wonderful children with Rob. I will do my best to raise them in the way Rob would have wanted - to be compassionate and appreciative of life's blessings. Rob embodied these qualities himself - humble, genuine, and incredibly kind-hearted.
The Motor Neurone Disease Association honored the rugby star before the funeral.
"Today, on the commemoration of Rob Burrow Day and the day of Rob's funeral, we want to honor and recognize all of the contributions he has made to the MND Association and the MND community," the charity expressed on a specific date.
We will always appreciate it. Thanks, Rob.
Burrow dedicated his whole career to playing for Leeds Rhinos and played a key role in their success, contributing to their victory in eight Super League titles.
He stopped working in 2017, but it wasn't until two years later that it came out he had been diagnosed with MND.
Burrow was awarded an MBE in the 2021 New Year Honours for his contributions to rugby league and the MND community. Additionally, he was honored with a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours.
