Rob Burrow funeral: Hundreds line the streets to bid farewell to rugby league hero
Rob Burrow's family and friends will pay their final respects to the Rugby League legend, who died last month at the age of 41.
Hundreds of Rugby League fans have lined the streets to pay their final tribute to legend Rob Burrow a month after his death.
Rob, a father of three and one of the most celebrated players in Leeds Rhinos history, tragically passed away at just 41 years old, following his diagnosis of motor neurone disease (MND) in 2019.
Rob's funeral is being held at Pontefract Crematorium, in Pontefract, West Yorkshire on Sunday, July 7.
The date holds a special significance as it also marks Rob Burrow Day - an annual event held by Leeds Rhinos since 2021 to honour the iconic scrum half who proudly wore the number 7 shirt throughout his illustrious career.
As per a statement on the Leeds Rhinos website, the crematorium service is "for invited guests only."
However, members of the public were encouraged to line the route during Rob's "final journey."
Members of the Featherstone Lions ARLFC, the first club Burrow joined as a child, joined other mourners to pay tribute to the late 41-year-old.
After receiving his Motor Neurone Disease diagnosis just two years into retirement, the rugby star devoted his remaining years to raising awareness of the rare neurodegenerative condition that affects the brain and nerves, leading to muscle weakness and stiffness.
The life-limiting disease impacts everything from speech to movement and, regrettably, there is no known cure.
Burrow was honoured with an MBE in the 2021 New Year's Honours List for his exceptional contribution to the Rugby League and the MND community.
In a heartwarming turn of events, Rob, alongside his wife Lindsey and close friend Kevin Sinfield, received a Special Recognition Award at the Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards in 2023.
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Last month, during an emotional interview on Lorraine, Lindsey expressed her unwavering commitment to upholding her late husband's legacy.
She shared: "It has been a tough few weeks but I know Rob would want us to be happy and I am determined to make Rob proud and to live on his legacy."
Lindsey fondly remembered Rob, saying: "He might have been small in stature but he was a giant of a man and just an incredible inspiration to us all.
"He had such an amazing career and then to be the face of the MND [Motor Neurone Disease] community in such difficult circumstances, and for him to open his doors and show the world at a time where he was at his most vulnerable was a really courageous and brave thing to do."
