This is a condensed version of an article that appears in the latest issue of Rugby League World magazine. To read the full piece, order a copy from our online shop, visit your local newsagent, or read it on your digital device at totalrl.com/rlw
It is hard to believe that it is a year to the day since the Rugby League world was stunned into silence following the tragic and untimely death of Danny Jones, writes Matthew Shaw.
The Keighley star passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest during a League 1 match between the Cougars and London Skolars on May 3, 2015. He was just 29.
It was, and forever will be, a memory that will remain raw in the minds of the Rugby League public, even for those that had no relationship with the Welsh international. For others, the memories are more personal, none more so than for Danny’s heroic wife, the new First Lady of Rugby League, Lizzie Jones.
Lizzie spent 10 happy years with Danny, in which time the two married and had twins, Bobby and Phoebe.
The untimely passing of Danny came with the siblings just six-months-old, another heartbreaking aspect of an already tragic story.
However, in the face of adversity, grief and anguish, not only have Lizzie and her family managed to keep Danny’s character alive, but they have turned a cheerless story into one featuring much joy.
Lizzie has captured the hearts of the country and reduced the bravest of people to tears, singing at some of the world’s most iconic sporting events.
When you strip everything back, Lizzie is a normal, infectiously-likeable woman from Halifax, but her story makes her stand out as someone quite special.
It has been a whirlwind year, but she has done everything possible to make the best of a truly awful situation.
“How the worst time of your life can be so fantastic as well, it’s crazy really,” she told RLW.
This is a condensed version of an article that appears in the latest issue of Rugby League World magazine. To read the full piece, order a copy from our online shop, visit your local newsagent, or read it on your digital device at totalrl.com/rlw
“The things that have happened since losing Danny have been incredible, but obviously tainted with pure sadness.
“But you sink or you swim and I wanted to make a difference.
“I don’t really have a choice, because I have two children that are relying on me every single day.
“I was given those children for a reason, and that wasn’t for them to see me crying or to give up, it is to see me happy, living and to give them the childhood they would have had if Danny were here.
“They get me up every morning and are the reason for me to live, to be honest.”
And she has done her two children proud. Not only has Lizzie ensured that Danny’s memory continues to live on, but she has ensured that he will leave behind an enduring legacy.
In the months since his death, Lizzie has made it her mission to ensure no other families suffer in the way she did.
With the help of the RFL and many others, Lizzie has created the Danny Jones Defibrillator Fund, with a goal of ensuring every match up and down the country has the life-saving equipment available should there be a need for it.
Over £50,000 has been raised to help send defibrillators to community clubs, and the progress has only just started.
Beyond that, her efforts have helped ensure that cardiac screening is now mandatory for both Championship and League 1 players, rather than just their Super League peers.
In essence, not only has Lizzie already helped save lives, she will continue to do so for years to come.
“The impact has been amazing and to think that Danny’s life has made that difference is so special,” she said.
“He isn’t just a number or a player who you forget after he dies. Everyone knows who he was, why he died and the difference that has made.
“That is the main thing for me.
This is a condensed version of an article that appears in the latest issue of Rugby League World magazine. To read the full piece, order a copy from our online shop, visit your local newsagent, or read it on your digital device at totalrl.com/rlw
“When I think about what’s been done, I just can’t believe it.
“Imagine little old me managing to change the laws within Rugby League, let alone £50,000 being raised to send defibrillators around the country.
“Just changing the fact these players are being screened and getting messages from wives, girlfriends, mothers and fathers saying thank you is incredible. I can sit back and enjoy it a little more now.”
Among a number of memorable moments in the last 12 months, including performances at the Challenge Cup Final and the Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony, one memory sticks out the most.
“The day I got a message to say I’d saved one life; that was it, as far as I was concerned, my job was done.
“To be able to save one family from going through what I’ve been through was just incredible.
“I burst into tears when I found out. I’ve always felt that if there was another Lizzie before Danny died, then Danny might be here now.
“Part of me will always wish that Danny was the one being saved. I got the message about the cricketer that retired after learning he had the condition, and I felt pure jealousy, which is just crazy.
“But I try and hold on to all the positives, because nothing I do will bring Danny back. If I can save lives then that is what I’ve got to do.”
This is a condensed version of an article that appears in the latest issue of Rugby League World magazine. To read the full piece, order a copy from our online shop, visit your local newsagent, or read it on your digital device at totalrl.com/rlw
