Lindsey Burrow, the wife of rugby league legend Rob Burrow, has opened up on her husband's final moments before his death at the age of 41 from motor neurone disease (MND).
Burrow, who spent his entire rugby league career with Leeds Rhinos and collected 13 caps for England, retired from the sport in 2017 after that year's Super League Grand Final.
In December 2019, he revealed he had been diagnosed with MND, and spent the remainder of his life raising awareness of the disease and raising money for connected charities.
It is estimated that Burrow and his family helped to raise over £20 million for charity, as per Charity Digital.
His long-time Leeds Rhinos team-mate Kevin Sinfield is also a prominent fundraiser, having completed several marathons and other challenges to raise, as of December 2024, over £1.5 million.
Burrow was awarded an MBE for services to sport and his fundraising work in 2021 - which was upgraded to a CBE in 2024. Sinfield was also awarded an OBE in 2021 before an upgrade to a CBE in 2024
Burrow has three children - Macy, 13, Maya, nine, and Jackson, six.
Leeds described him as a 'true inspiration throughout his life, whether that was on the rugby field or during his battle with MND' after announcing his passing on June 2, 2024.
Now, his wife Lindsey has authored a memoir, titled 'Take Care: A Memoir of Love, Family & Never Giving Up', which details her experiences of caring for her husband during his battle with the disease. The book contains a foreward from Prince William.
Speaking to The Sun ahead of the book's publishing date next month, Lindsey opened up on the final moments she spent with the rugby league legend.
She said: "Doctors and nurses rushed in as his oxygen levels and heart rate took a dive. We expected to lose him, and a consultant advised us to say goodbye. I couldn't quite believe it.
"Except, being Rob Burrow, he rallies again, giving us time to make special memories.
"Two sets of blood tests had been assessed that the doctors said showed Rob had come through something called Lazarus syndrome.
"I didn't understand it at first but, then, it sounded miraculous. It occurs when blood circulation returns spontaneously after the heart stops beating.
"The blood tests told us that, just after lunchtime, Rob had basically come back from the dead."
Lindsey then revealed what happened after the nurses had told her that her husband had passed away.
"It was just after 2pm when I noticed Rob's chest was no longer moving. He looked serene.
"I turned to the nurse and asked if he'd passed. When she said yes, I turned to the children and opened my arms which they filled as I held them close.
"They started to cry but they also did something beautiful. They opened Rob's hands. His fingers were still painted red and yellow and green from where they'd used ink pads to take imprints of them hours earlier.
"They took turns to pour little knitted hearts the nurses had given them on to Rob's upturned palms, then they closed his hands around their hearts."
Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Rugby League
Ryan Smart