Jai Arrow: It's true when they say You'll Never Walk Alone

The Australian former rugby league player was a special guest in attendance for Liverpool’s Premier League fixture against Arsenal.

In May this year, it was announced Arrow would, at the age of 30, be immediately retiring from his sport due to a motor neurone disease (MND) diagnosis.

Tributes and support for Arrow and his young family – wife Berina and daughter Ayla – poured in.

Arrow had reached the total of 98 appearances for NRL club South Sydney Rabbitohs, and the league arranged for him to be able to begin two more matches and bring up a century.

His coach, Wayne Bennett, had the idea of using Gerry and the Pacemakers’ You’ll Never Walk Alone to accompany Arrow’s walk out to the pitch for those fixtures.

The powerful scenes that followed were broadcast around the world and have led to a poignant connection between Arrow, the song and ultimately LFC.

“I had no idea. Wayne came up with the idea,” he explained.

“I said, ‘No, I’m alright mate.’ He said, ‘Well, you’re doing it.’ I went, ‘No worries! Alright!’

“That song holds a very special place in my heart.”

MND is a serious life-shortening illness that can have many effects, including reducing a person’s mobility and speech.

The disease worsens over time and at present there is no cure.

While speaking together pitchside at Anfield ahead of Sunday’s game, Berina added: “‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ for us has been such a reflection on our community – not just in Australia but here now in Liverpool – of how everyone has wrapped their arms around us and made us feel like we are not going to be walking alone.

“This is a horrible thing to be facing as a young family.

“We are just so grateful that we actually get to be here, first. And second, that the song can stay with us for a lifetime.

“Ayla is going to grow up singing that song and she’s going to grow up being a Liverpool fan, even though she’s got no idea about soccer at the moment, she’s one-and-a-half.

“She’s going to look back on this one day and be so, so grateful that a club like this was so amazing to us as a family.”

Arrow is currently in Europe undergoing treatment, which opened up the opportunity for his trip to Merseyside at the weekend and the chance to experience the Reds’ anthem at its spiritual home.

“I genuinely can’t believe I’m here. I am in awe,” he said.

“I can’t believe the amount of support that we’ve received.

“There has been not only Liverpool fans but a lot from people in the United Kingdom. The support has been amazing and I’m forever in debt for that.

“It’s true when they say You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

You can find out more about MND, offer support, make a donation or volunteer via the MND Association website: mndassociation.org.