Rugby league player Jai Arrow has shared candid and surprising insights into his life following a diagnosis of motor neurone disease (MND), revealing unexpected positive aspects of the condition and discussing his family’s future plans. In a recent podcast appearance with his wife, Berina Colakovic, Arrow spoke openly about how MND has impacted his life, including some rather unconventional benefits.
Unexpected Positives from MND
Speaking on The Montoyas Podcast, Arrow, a former forward for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, admitted that while MND presents significant challenges, he has identified two unexpected positive outcomes. The first, he revealed with characteristic humor, relates to his physical responses. “So, there’s obviously a lot of bad that comes with MND, but there are two good things, mate. The orgasms,” Arrow stated, prompting surprised laughter from his wife and the podcast hosts, Marcelo and Tayla Montoya.
Arrow clarified that he was referring to the intensity of his climaxes, rather than his wife’s experience. This candid admission highlighted the often unpredictable nature of the disease’s effects. He further explained that this heightened physical response is a known, albeit unusual, symptom associated with MND for some individuals.
Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA) and Uncontrollable Laughter
The second positive aspect Arrow identified is related to pseudobulbar affect (PBA), a neurological condition that can cause involuntary emotional expressions, such as excessive laughing or crying. While PBA can be distressing, Arrow finds a certain humor in its manifestation for him. “It’s called PBA… so I laugh at the wrong moments. Oh god. Awkward,” he explained.
His wife, Berina, corroborated this, sharing an anecdote from a couples therapy session. “We were in therapy, couples therapy, and I’m bawling my eyes out in front of this psychologist about him having just received a terminal diagnosis,” she recounted. “Out of nowhere, he just starts laughing his head off. And I was like, ‘Are you good?'” Arrow himself recalled the incident, noting that such episodes can occur even during serious discussions or emotional moments.
This uncontrollable laughter has also surfaced during serious team meetings at his club. Arrow described having to leave the room during tactical reviews when a fit of laughter strikes, much to the amusement of his coach, Wayne Bennett. “At the moment, at the club, when the boys are in a meeting and it’s serious, I lose it and I have to run out of the room. Legit. And Wayne laughs,” he said. “They’re sitting there doing a review, someone’s made a misread [in defence], and I’m laughing. I can’t help it.”
Family Planning and Future Considerations
Beyond his personal experiences with MND, Arrow and Colakovic are looking towards the future of their family. The couple, who recently married, are planning to have another child and are taking steps to ensure this possibility remains open.
Berina revealed their intention to freeze one of her embryos. “Next week we are going to a fertility clinic to freeze an embryo,” she stated. “So hopefully in the future, when we are ready, at least that choice isn’t going to be taken away from us, for Ayla to have a biological sibling.” She acknowledged that the responsibility of raising another child would likely fall primarily on her due to the progressive nature of MND.
Arrow affirmed his wife’s understanding, stating, “I needed to know that. I know that [the responsibility of raising another child] won’t be on me. If you [Berina] want to, I’m happy, but you’re going to have to understand I won’t be capable of helping as much.” This proactive approach to family planning reflects the couple’s determination to navigate the challenges of MND together.
Reflections on a Recent Match
The unpredictable laughter also made an appearance during a recent rugby league match. Berina recounted how Jai laughed throughout a game where his team, the Rabbitohs, lost to the Penrith Panthers. “I kid you not – he was laughing the whole game,” she said. Arrow added, “I laughed the whole way up,” still finding amusement in the memory.
The conversation on the podcast also touched upon the pressures faced by other partners of players. Berina mentioned texting the partner of a teammate who had a difficult night at the same game, only to learn that the other partner had been suffering from a severe migraine and vomiting while attending the match with young children.
A Future MND Foundation
Looking ahead, Jai Arrow expressed a desire to establish his own Motor Neurone Disease Foundation. He envisions this foundation working collaboratively across different football codes to raise awareness and support for MND research and patient care.
“I think down the road as well, we’ve spoken about this, but essentially no one really knows about this, so this is another scoop,” Arrow shared. “Down the road, I would love to open a foundation, and work with the neurological institute where my neurologist works. But also working with, you know, the NRL. And maybe, essentially, what we could do is: if the AFL, the NRL and rugby union, one week of the year, come together and all three do an MND round, I think that’d be unreal.” This initiative aims to unite the sporting community in a significant cause, leveraging the broad appeal of professional sports to amplify awareness for MND.
Arrow’s openness about his diagnosis, his candid reflections on its effects, and his forward-thinking plans for his family and for MND advocacy underscore his resilience and determination in the face of a serious illness.
