The great Alex Murphy OBE was sadly diagnosed with vascular dementia in late 2024, a year that also saw the sudden and very sad death of his wife, best friend and rock, Alice.
His illness has accelerated in recent years and the loss of Alice was a cruel blow to a man who has won just about every honour the game can bestow.
Left on his own, 85-year-old Alex became rather lost and his dementia led to some uncharacteristic, and rather unfortunate behaviour, including gifting his many medals, and much of the memorabilia associated with his illustrious career, to complete strangers, occasionally at a local pub and sometimes when they came to his home.
Understandably, this has left Alex's family very upset and they have issued a heartfelt appeal for the return of his collections, which are not just important to them but are of national significance.
That some people have taken advantage of Alex's confused seems likely: however many others may have accepted his 'gifts' unaware of his illness and fragile condition.
The rugby league family is, at its heart, decent: Rugby League Cares is urging anyone who has received medals or memorabilia of Alex's, either directly or via third parties, to do the right thing and return them.
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