It's been revealed that rugby legend Jonah Lomu died effectively broke, leaving his family in a difficult financial situation.
As a result the New Zealand Rugby Players Association has just announced the launch of the Jonah Lomu Legacy Trust.
The sole aim of the trust is to establish financial care for his two children Brayley and Dhyreille Lomu.
"It appears that because of Jonah's well-known generosity, he had taken on obligations, financial and otherwise, to support others at the expense of himself, Nadene and the children," said NZRPA chief executive Rob Nichol.
"It is also apparent that his twenty-year illness and long dialysis sessions, multiple times a week affected him far more than people realised, including his ability to work and earn the type of money people probably assumed he was capable of earning.
"He was a humble and private person who chose not to seek help or be a burden on others in sharing his immediate challenges.
"We all know how important and special Jonah's children, Brayley and Dhyreille, were to him. In supporting them we could not imagine a better way of honouring Jonah's fantastic legacy.
"We believe that once people and organisations throughout and beyond the rugby world understand the uncertain future now facing the boys, many will join with us in wanting to help the big man in what is a time of real need, and ensure a positive future for his two boys."
Josh Kronfeld, Lomu's roommate with the All Blacks in 1995, says although the rugby star was paid well, it was nowhere near what was expected by most.
"People read what Richie McCaw and Dan Carter make playing for the All Blacks and assume those figures are what Jonah was on from the mid-1990s on but that's just not right," he told the New Zealand Herald today.
"And you also need to remember his playing career was not that long due to his illness. He never had the lengthy playing career of other guys," he says.
It was revealed Lomu may have died from a blood clot, which formed during a flight home to New Zealand.
The trust will be managed by a team of professionals not related to the Lomu boys or family.
NZ Rugby Players Association chief executive Rob Nichol told Newstalk ZB this morning that they are not expecting "ordinary people" to donate.
"If you're an organisation in London or the UK or France who has had interactions with Jonah and you appreciated what he did then you might want to step up right now," he says.
In response to photos posted to Facebook of Lomu and his family seemingly enjoying a decadent overseas holiday before he died, Mr Nichol says past iconic players "were well looked after".
"They all get the opportunity to extend with family because they are actually taken away from their families to do the work during the Rugby World Cup."
Those who want to support it can make donations at jonahlomulegacy.com.
RadioLIVE / 3 News
