Friends, family, and admirers gathered at a funeral reception to pay their final respects to a beloved rugby star.
The star player for the Leeds Rhinos and England passed away on June 2 after a long battle with motor neurone disease (MND). He was only 41 years old. Earlier in the month, hundreds of people stood in line to say goodbye to the Rugby League icon.
A civil reception was held at Leeds Civic Hall to honor his life and work. His family and about 180 other people attended the event, which was organized by the Lord Mayor of Leeds. The gathering included former teammate Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Tanya Curry, CEO of the MND Association, and James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council.
He lived in West Yorkshire and passed away in a nearby hospital just hours before the groundbreaking ceremony for a new MND research center named in his honor. On July 7, around noon, hundreds lined the streets to pay their respects as his body was taken to a private service.
The roads were a sea of blue as many attendees wore Leeds Rhinos shirts. Junior players from Featherstone Lions ARLFC also paid tribute in their gear. A police motorcycle accompanied the hearse as it passed through the crowd.
The procession included five cars carrying his wife, whom he married in 2006, and their three children. His sisters, as well as his parents, were also part of the cortege. He was laid to rest in blue cloth adorned with white flower bouquets spelling “Dad,” “Bro,” and “Son.”
The procession paused at Featherstone Lions’ ground, where he played junior rugby, allowing mourners to sign a book of condolences. His poignant final message urged people not to “waste a moment” of their lives. He stated, “In a world full of adversity, we must still dare to dream.”
Diagnosed with MND in 2019, he dedicated himself to raising awareness for the cause. In a touching tribute, his wife said the rugby star “made the world a better place.”
A close friend is honoring his memory by climbing seven mountains in a wheelchair, despite also being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2019.
