'The first of everything is always the hardest'

The wife of the late Leeds Rhinos rugby legend Rob Burrow has said it will be difficult celebrating family milestones without him.

Burrow, 41, died in June after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2019 and raised more than £15m for the incurable degenerative condition.

Lindsey Burrow spoke as she accepted a special recognition award in her husband's honour at the JustGiving Awards in London on Wednesday.

She told the BBC: "The first of everything is always the hardest - but the kids give me a reason to keep going."

Mrs Burrow, who met her husband when they were just 13, said it was "bittersweet" going on the first family holiday without him to their favourite place.

The couple have three children - Jackson, Maya, and Macy.

Mrs Burrow said: "We managed to get a family holiday to Florida.

"I didn't want to go without Rob but he kept saying, 'please take the children'.

"It's also his birthday next week, then it will be our first Christmas - but the kids are brilliant and a reason to keep his legacy alive."

Asked about how the family planned to spend what would have been Burrow's 42nd birthday, she said: "It's a really tough question.

"The girls do after-school classes on a Thursday and I think Rob would have said, 'carry on as normal'.

"As a family we talk about Rob every day... so it will be an ordinary day and we will remember him privately.

"Despite showcasing MND to the the world he was quite a private family man."

Burrow was told he had MND two years after retiring from professional rugby and as his condition deteriorated, Mrs Burrow took on the role of carer.

"I'm really passionate about the caring side, having been a carer for Rob throughout his illness... so I want to champion the work carers do," she said.

"More can be done to support families and carers - people have to give up their livelihoods and being a carer can be a very lonely place at times, so we need to support them."

At the JustGiving Awards, Mrs Burrow said she would continue to "bang the drum" for the MND community.

She also said awareness about MND was "crucial" and Burrow's end-of-life care and medical team were "incredible".

Accepting the award, Mrs Burrow said: "Rob is here in spirit and would be so proud."

Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales has written the foreword to Mrs Burrow's upcoming memoir.

Take Care: A Memoir of Love, Family & Never Giving Up, "explores the deepest reserves of resilience, personal sacrifice and hope that Lindsey Burrow exhibited on a daily basis when her family’s life was upended by the terminal MND diagnosis," the publisher said.

During a visit to Leeds in January, William surprised Burrow and former teammate and fellow campaigner Kevin Sinfield by presenting them with their CBEs for services to MND awareness.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.