“ROB WAS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE” — LINDSEY BURROW’S HEARTBREAKING WORDS TWO YEARS AFTER LOSING HER HUSBAND

Two years after rugby legend Rob Burrow died following his battle with motor neurone disease, his wife Lindsey says no one will ever take his place. Yet through the grief that still arrives in the simplest moments, she is determined to keep a promise she made to him: to live life to the full with their three children.

For Lindsey Burrow, grief does not always arrive on anniversaries or special occasions.

Sometimes, it comes unexpectedly while she is driving, when a familiar song brings back memories of the man she loved since they were teenagers. Other times, it comes when she watches fathers standing beside their children at football and is reminded of the moments her husband should still be sharing with their son.

More than two years after losing Rob Burrow, the former Leeds Rhinos rugby league star who died aged 41 in June 2024, Lindsey is learning to navigate life without the person who had been her partner for most of her life.

But one thing has never changed: the place Rob holds in her heart.

“Rob was the love of my life. No one will ever take his place,” she said in a recent interview.

Her words offer a deeply personal glimpse into the reality of bereavement — the sadness that remains, the memories that bring comfort and the determination to keep moving forward for the family they built together.

THE GRIEF THAT RETURNS WITHOUT WARNING

Lindsey and Rob had been together since their teenage years and were married for 17 years.

They shared a life shaped by family, rugby and, eventually, the devastating challenges of Rob’s motor neurone disease (MND) diagnosis in December 2019.

Although his death was deeply painful, Lindsey says grief has a way of appearing when she least expects it.

A song playing in the car can suddenly bring the memories rushing back. Watching other fathers at their children’s football matches can be just as difficult, particularly when she thinks about Rob missing those moments with their son, Jackson.

These ordinary scenes can carry a painful reminder of the future the family had imagined but can no longer share with him.

Lindsey has been open about the fact that life contains both good and bad days. Continuing to live does not mean the sadness has disappeared, and finding happiness does not mean she has forgotten her husband.

Instead, she is learning to make room for both.

A PROMISE SHE MADE TO ROB

Before his death, Lindsey made Rob a promise that she would continue living life to the full.

It is a promise she remains determined to honour.

“I made Rob a promise that we’d keep living life to the full,” she explained.

For Lindsey, that means raising their children, making new memories and allowing themselves to experience happiness without feeling that moving forward means leaving Rob behind.

The journey has not been easy. The loss of a husband and father changes the shape of everyday life, from family celebrations to the smallest routines.

But Lindsey knows how much Rob wanted his family to keep going.

She has spoken about his determination to make the most of the time he had after his diagnosis, refusing to let the disease define every moment they shared.

That outlook continues to guide her as she builds a future for their children while carrying their father’s memory with her.

THREE CHILDREN WHO KEEP THEIR DAD CLOSE

Lindsey and Rob had three children together: Macy, Maya and Jackson.

They remain at the centre of Lindsey’s world, helping her find strength through the hardest days.

The family talks about Rob every day. At home, memory jars give the children a way to revisit special moments and keep stories about their father close as they grow older.

His memory is not reserved for anniversaries or formal tributes. He remains part of their everyday conversations, their family history and the memories they continue to share.

Lindsey has described the children as a source of strength beyond what they may realise.

“They’re the reason I wake up with a smile in the morning,” she said.

She is proud of the way they have continued to face life despite missing their father terribly. Their resilience, she believes, reflects the example Rob set for them during his illness.

For Lindsey, helping them grow up feeling loved, secure and connected to their dad is one of the most important ways she can honour him.

THE DEVOTED DAD BEHIND THE RUGBY LEGEND

Rob was celebrated for his achievements on the rugby field, but Lindsey has often spoken about the family man behind the sporting success.

He loved spending time with his children and wanted to be present for the little things that made family life special.

She has recalled how he would leave social functions early because he wanted to get home to them. He treasured moments such as playing football with Jackson and reading bedtime stories to the girls.

After his MND diagnosis, those simple experiences became even more precious.

As the disease progressed, Rob’s physical abilities declined, but he continued to make memories with his family whenever he could.

Even during the most difficult period of his illness, he remained focused on the people he loved.

His legacy is therefore about much more than rugby. For Lindsey and their children, he will always be the husband and dad whose love shaped their lives.

TURNING HEARTBREAK INTO HOPE FOR OTHER FAMILIES

Rob’s battle with MND brought national attention to a condition that affects movement, communication and independence.

Following his diagnosis, he became a prominent campaigner, working to raise awareness and support research into the disease. His determination, alongside fundraising efforts by friends, family and supporters, helped bring the experiences of people living with MND into the public eye.

Lindsey has continued to support that legacy.

The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in Leeds, which opened in 2025, reflects a vision he wanted to see become reality: a dedicated place where people affected by MND could receive specialist support.

For Lindsey, the centre represents something deeply personal. It is a reminder that although Rob is no longer there to witness its impact, the work he helped inspire continues to make a difference.

She has also spoken about how grateful she is for the support shown to the family since his death.

Rob’s story reached far beyond rugby, touching people who had never met him but were moved by his courage, his openness and his determination to make every moment count.

LOVE THAT DOES NOT END WITH LOSS

Lindsey has been clear that Rob remains irreplaceable in her life.

She is not trying to erase the past or pretend the loss no longer hurts. Instead, she is finding a way to move forward while keeping the love they shared at the heart of her family.

A familiar song, a football match or a conversation with the children can bring back the sadness. But those same memories also remind her of the life they built and the time they were fortunate enough to share.

Her promise to Rob is not about forgetting him. It is about continuing to live in a way that reflects the values he showed them — courage, positivity and a determination to make the most of life.

For Macy, Maya and Jackson, their father’s memory will continue to grow alongside them, carried through family stories, treasured keepsakes and the everyday conversations that keep him close.

Two years on, Lindsey is still learning to live with a loss that will never fully disappear. Some days will remain harder than others. But she continues to look ahead, supported by her children and guided by the promise she made to the man she loved.

Rob Burrow may no longer be physically beside his family, but the love he gave them remains part of everything they do. And as Lindsey continues raising their three children, she is keeping her promise — living life to the full, while making sure their dad is never forgotten.

Rob Burrow died in June 2024, aged 41, following his battle with motor neurone disease. His wife Lindsey continues to raise their children and support awareness of MND in his memory.

Sources: AOL — Lindsey Burrow reflects on life two years after losing Rob · ITV News — Lindsey on Rob’s final moments and his legacy