Rob Burrow’s family have said “his strength is keeping us going” as they attended an emotional groundbreaking ceremony for the Motor Neurone Disease centre bearing his name, one day after his death was announced.
Former Leeds star Burrow died at the age of 41 after a four-and-a-half-year battle with the incurable illness.
On Monday the groundbreaking of the Rob Burrow Centre for MND at Seacroft Hospital went ahead as planned at Burrow’s request, with his family saying he “would be looking down and smiling”.
His friend and former team-mate Kevin Sinfield attended the ceremony, along with Burrow’s parents Geoff and Irene Burrow, and his sisters Joanne Hartshorn and Claire Burnett.
Geoff Burrow wiped away a tear as a minute’s silence was held in his son’s memory, before being one of six people to put the first spades in the ground on the site.
The family said Burrow would have wanted them to be there as construction work started on the state-of-the-art purpose-built care centre.
Irene Burrow told reporters: “I said this is what Rob would want and I think he’d be proud that we all pulled ourselves together and got the strength to come, and we’re doing it for Lindsey and the kids.
“He’ll be looking down on us and he’ll be going ‘thumbs up’. We’re so proud to be here and it’s amazing what you can achieve.”
Geoff Burrow said: “It’s amazing what a little man can achieve. You can achieve big things.
“As Rob says, in a world full of adversity you must dare to dream. We’re dreaming of when this opens.”
Hartshorn said the family had been overwhelmed by the tributes to her brother.
“Seeing the outpouring of love on the TV, at Headingley. In a weird way I’ve just done nothing but smile all morning.
“It’s giving us the courage today because that’s what Rob would have wanted. He wanted us to be here today. Last night we were wondering how on earth we were going to be able to do that, but the outpouring of love and everybody’s support has been unbelievable.”
The family paid tribute to Sinfield as a “tremendous guy,” with Geoff Burrow saying: “I think what Kevin’s done, everybody else in the world will be looking and valuing their friends a whole lot more.”
Before his death Burrow had spearheaded a £6.8 million charity appeal for Leeds Hospitals Charity, where he received care, for a centre for those with MND living in and around the city.
Since Burrow’s death was announced on Sunday evening, the appeal has received around 1,000 donations.
Geoff Burrow said the family would carry on with his son’s work and spoke of his hope that a cure for the disease would be found.
“I wish we’d have got it before he passed, but we will get it, for him and all the poor families suffering with MND.
“He’ll be smiling, thinking ‘keep checking on them dad, make sure they keep digging’.”
Well-wishers gathered outside Headingley on Monday morning to pay their respects, laying flowers, scarves and other tributes.
Burrow spent his entire rugby league career with Leeds and helped them win eight Super League titles.
Two years after his retirement in 2017, Burrow revealed his MND diagnosis and began fundraising and campaigning to raise awareness of the disease and to improve care and research.
Burrow was made an MBE in the 2021 New Year Honours list for his services to rugby league and the MND community and was promoted to a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours.