Sam Burgess got candid in Tuesday’s episode of SAS Australia where he opened up about his heartbreak over the death of his beloved dad, Mark, from motor neurone disease in 2007.
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In a heartwrenching moment that nearly brought the NRL star to tears, Sam opened up about his footy star father’s rapid decline in health prior to his death at the age of 45.
Speaking to the soldiers after showing his leadership skills on a physical challenge, Sam was asked where he got his work ethic from.
“My work ethic comes from my dad,” the 32-year-old explained.
The former Rabbitohs player then went on to discuss how his dad’s sudden illness affected him as a teenager.
“He was just a good man, a really good man,” Sam said.
“He had four boys, he was kind, he was tough, he was fair… He was a great man.
“We lost him when we were quite young, which was sad, but he taught me enough when he passed away for me to carry it on.”
“I was 18,” Sam continued. “He had motor neurone disease. Crap disease, it’s awful. It’s hard to see someone you love so much go through because it’s pretty demoralising.”
“The muscles eat away and everything just stops, you become just a body but your mind is there.”
In a heartbreaking admission, Sam went on to say that his father’s health seemed to rapidly deteriorate after watching his debut in his first game for the Bradford Bulls.
“He actually passed away after coming to watch me play… I played first team for Bradford in 2006, It was my debut, I told him not to come because I’d worry about him in the stand.
“It was freezing and I knew he was deteriorating. I saw him in the crowd during the warm-up and started shaking my head, laughing. He had gotten his way in through the parents.”
Sam continued, “Anyway, he was freezing cold and from that night on he was in the hospital for a couple of weeks and passed away a couple of weeks after that.
“One of the biggest things that hurts me in life is that he never got to see my brothers play,” Sam explained before becoming visibly emotional.
“My dad was a pretty amazing person, he was pretty heroic. I spent every day with Dad, carrying him up the stairs, helping him in and out of the bath,” he explained.
He added, “You never think you have to do that.”
“It was a very pivotal time in my life.”
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