ROB BURROW'S TOUCHING TRIBUTE TO HIS 'STRONG' WIFE LINDSEY

This is the heartwarming moment Rob Burrow pays tribute to his wife as he says he's played some tough people in his rugby career, but no one is 'as strong' as Lindsey.

The rugby legend, 41, - who was awarded a CBE in January for raising awareness of Motor Neurone Disease - was diagnosed with the condition in 2019.

A married father of three young children, he is now unable to talk but can articulate his thoughts through Eyegaze, a device which translates blinks into letters and then builds them into words on a screen.

The former captain of the Leeds Rhinos and member of the British rugby league teams paid tribute to his supportive wife Lindsey on BBC Breakfast today.

Lindsey cares for Rob, their three children and works as an NHS physiotherapist. She has previously spoken about the 'huge emotional and physical challenges'.

Her husband today told BBC Breakfast: 'I'm trying not to be soppy but some of the things that Lindsey does for me is proof I've found my one and only.

'I've played with some strong players in my rugby career but no one is as strong a personality than Lindsey. I hope that will inspire people to be more like her...what a world that would be.'

READ MORE - Rob Burrow's wife Lindsey reveals strain of looking after her husband with MND while caring for their 3 children and working as an NHS physiotherapist

In turn, Lindsey said: 'What keeps me going is I have three beautiful children, I have a husband I adore and I think the world of and is battling a life limiting disease. He is an inspiration to all of us. Despite the situation there is reason to smile.'

MND sees messages from motor neurones in the brain and the spinal cord, which tell the body's muscles what to do, gradually stop working.

This causes the muscles to weaken, stiffen and waste.

While some can survive for many years, such as Professor Stephen Hawking who lived with the condition for 55 years, for many the prognosis is less than five years.

There is no cure and just one licensed drug in the UK which only has a 'modest effect' in slowing down progress of the disease.

Charities such as the Motor Neurone Disease Association work to support sufferers and their families, particularly with managing their quality of life, as well fund research to find a cure for the disease.

MND affects up to 5,000 adults in the UK at any one time - one in 300 people will be affected during their lifetime - and is more prevalent in people over the age of 50.

Rob was diagnosed with the disease in 2019 shortly after retiring from professional sport and was given just two years to live.

READ MORE - Touching moment Rob Burrow smiles as he's presented with his CBE by Prince William - alongside his beaming wife and daughters

Since then he has defiantly fought its progress and devoted himself to fund-raising for a range of MND charities, as well as building a dedicated MND centre at the Seacroft Hospital in Leeds.

Symptoms progress at varying speeds but sufferers will often experience problems in walking, talking, eating, drinking and breathing.

His wife, 40, appeared on an ITV documentary Lindsey Burrow: Who Cares for Our Carers? to discuss the challenges the pair face.

'Being a carer is tough, and it has huge emotional and physical challenges, I think a lot of carers that you speak to, they'll say that you lose friends,' she said.

'I've been an unpaid carer for almost five years.

'My husband Rob was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in December 2019, since then, I've balanced caring for Rob while caring for our three young children and continuing to work for the NHS as a physiotherapist.

'But although I'm proud to be able to do that, it's had a huge impact on my life.'

The couple share three children together, Macy, 11, Maya, eight, and Jackson, four.

In January, the Prince of Wales told Rob 'we're all so proud of you' while visiting Headingley Stadium in Leeds to present the rugby legend with his CBE.

The royal also presented Rob with the medal - still in its box - as he lauded the former athlete's legacy and efforts in campaigning.

'Thank you and congratulations - for all the inspirational work you've done, Rob,' Prince William said as the sporting icon was surrounded by his beaming wife and their children in a video shared by BBC Breakfast on X.

'You've been amazing, you really have and everyone's so proud of you.

'We've all been following your case. You've changed so many people's lives with MND with what you've done. We're all so proud of you.'

2024-05-07T10:19:01Z dg43tfdfdgfd