long after his retirement he was diagnosed with mnd, a condition he faced with incredible positivity. i am not giving in until my last breath. i have too many reasons to live. ., ., ., , ., , live. the love he had for his family and the love live. the love he had for his family and the love that live. the love he had for his family and the love that they live. the love he had for his family and the love that they had - live. the love he had for his family and the love that they had for- live. the love he had for his family and the love that they had for him | and the love that they had for him shone through, as he made his private battle a public one, to raise awareness of the disease. rob overcame so many challenges on and off the field. you will always be remembered as a giant of rugby league, and in the face of this cruel disease. he will be remembered. john maguirejoins us now from headingley stadium in leeds. john, the tributes there showjust how loved and admired rob bur
so often people have left a personal note, perhaps they have a memory of seeing rob playing at headingley. he played for leeds rhinos for 70s years, winning everything you could win in the game, so we had a stellar career, that touched so many leeds rhinos fans but people right across rugby league is a great britain player. it is the work since his diagnosis with mnd for a half years ago that took his name around the world. you see the word is repeated here, inspiration, one of them, legend, another. iwant here, inspiration, one of them, legend, another. i want to point out a couple. a boxing glove they are from george warrington, the local former world champion. he said it is not the size of the dog in the fight, it is the fight in the dog, and he kept on fighting to the end. rob famously stood five tall, but he was a giant of a man within rugby league. this one here, too rob, thank you for the memories and
you know, pull yourself together. lindsay, you know, we can get through this. his love for his family and their love for him shone through as rob made his private battle a public one to help those suffering with mnd, raising huge amounts of money and awareness. as a father of three young children, i would never want any family to have to go through what my wife and children have since my diagnosis. you have done such important work raising awareness of motor neurone disease. you ve been an inspiration to so many, and we have nothing but admiration for everything that you ve done. he can tell what sort of mood you re in, you know, - and he ll crack a joke or tell us to stop being silly. and, why are you looking so sad? you know. but at the end of the day, it s still hard.
life is like, how difficult it is once someone has had that diagnosis of mnd, notjust for the patient themselves but for their friends, family, colleagues and loved ones. we were due to be in leeds today because by pure coincidence it is the first day that work will officially start at the rob burrow centre for motor neurone disease, about five miles away from here, at the seacroft hospital site in leeds. it will be a purpose built, brand new building design from the ground up by clinicians and patients. rob had a significant hand in the design of the building. it will be holistic, welcoming. the architect described it as a hug of a building, just to try to make life for people who have this dreadful diagnosis that little bit easier, as they face a very long future with they face a very long future with the disease because it is so devastating but to face that future and try to understand a little bit
the wider rugby league family also united behind him to raise funds for research into a condition that has no cure. i think the last couple of years, my respect for him was only increased because he s been so brave and courageous, how he s attacked what mnd has brought to him and the family. so inspiring to mnd community, it s been incredible to see the effects he s had on so many people. he s an absolute champion. good to see you. who scored the most tries out of you two? laughter i think he knows that as well. is he laughing? yeah, he is. he s laughing. hopefully through the campaigning we have done, we have helped to make people aware of mnd and to give people and families affected by the disease some help. we have to keep raising funds to fight this disease and look after those with mnd until we have a cure.